Eventful Managing Director Noor Azman

October Head of Department YK Cheah

EDITORIAL
Deputy Editor Matthew Yap
Writer Nixon Ng
Writer Rikco Shim
Contributors Michael Eckstein, Martin Jäger, Christoph Schmidt,

T
he quiet months are always the calm before the Andreas Th. Fischer, Fabian von Keudell, Arthur Hoffmann, Stepanie
storm and as expected the storm hit us hard in Biberger, Patrick Dörfel, Jörg Geiger, Richard Meusers, Patrick
October. Hannemann
Design & Layout Halijah Ismail
Attending major events are always an honour for us, Cover Design Halijah Ismail
so we were thrilled when Alibaba invited us to the
SALES & MARKETING
company’s Computing Conference in China held in mid- Senior Manager YK Cheah
October. We also got to go to the HKTDC Electronics Fair Account Manager Connor Tan
Consultant Muffadzlee Dato’ Sufian
& ElectronicAsia 2017 in Hong Kong. Look out for our
coverages on the two events in our World News section. ADMINISTRATION
Admin Manager WP Lim
One of the biggest news in October was definitely on
Intel’s Coffee Lake and Z370 chipset, which was finally ONLINE
www.chip.com.my
released not long ago. Impressions on the platform have
already been formed, so we were happy when we got our @CHIPMY
hands on a Coffee Lake CPU and three Z370
CHIP Malaysia
motherboards from the leading brands for review. We
also got to test the DJI Spark drone, an AMD Vega GPU,
PUBLISHER
and the Nokia 8. Online Dynamics (M) Sdn. Bhd.
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article on this year’s Tokyo Game Show, which we 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
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 contents

060 006 038

COVER 060 The Big Hacker Report

The end of three annual conferences
brought some new updates on the

STORY cybersecurity landscape with it

NEWS & 006 Local News

Coverage of the latest news and
events right on our shores

TRENDS 026 World Wired Web

All the latest tech happenings around
the world
024 Security Reports
Monthly dose of security news

FEATURES 038 Voice AIs Might Raise The Future

Children don’t know any better, but voice
assistants might be a bad influence on
them
044 Update For Windows 10
Windows 10’s next update, Redmond 3, is
set to drop. What changed?
048 Making It New
Sometimes, old doesn’t mean unusable.
With the right tricks, you can extend the
life of your old hardware and save money
102 112 114
 contents

044 048 094

067 Test Lab: The Tools

TEST LAB Test Labs’ tools of the trade
068 Test Lab Contents
Take a pick and get started!
076 Reviews
Professionally conducted reviews
following our stringent tests and
benchmarks

94 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

LITE & In this Blast of the Past, we get our
taste of the court room

LEISURE 102 E-Sports Express

What’s the latest gossip in the
e-sports world?

PRACTICE 112 Make Your Own Cloud Storage

Online Cloud storage can be useful, but
they can’t beat the flexibility and cost
savings of making your own

REGULARS 001 Welcome Note

116 Tips and Tricks

076
 contents
chip download

CHIP Downloads
November 2017
We’re back with our monthly dose of interesting, free and handy tools for you to enhance your PC experience. If you want to know how you
can get these files, follow the instructions below:

1. Head on our website @ www.chip.com.my and right at the top, click on the ‘‘Downloads” tab
2. After that, click on the respective month’s post. You will then be prompted for a password. The password can be found on this page
monthly.
3. Navigate using the tabs and pick the categories you want to download the files from. Once you find the file you want, just click on it and
you’re good to go!

And it’s as easy as that!

PASSWORD FOR NOVEMBER2017 - securityfirst

Featured Tools
Ashampoo Privacy Protector
Privacy Protector offers an innovative, combined security approach that includes
encryption, archiving and cleaning. Instead of having to use separate tools that may not
play well together, you can now rely on a single, well-balanced solution that does away
with confusing settings and bloated menus in favour of clarity and usability.

Ninja Download Manager

Ninja Download Manager is a newcomer to the download manager scene and
has a simple and minimalistic interface. The accelerator improves your file
downloads to up to 10x faster than your browser. It also as a built-in video
downloader with support for YouTube and Vimeo, additionally it also comes
with a video converter.

5KPlayer
5KPlayer or 5KP is a lightweight and minimalistic media player, it has a straightforward
and self-explaining interface. It doubles as a radio player and allows you to download free
videos from YouTube and over 300 other sites. The developer keeps it updated so you’ll
always have something to look forward to.

Essentials
Our list of essentials consists of programs and software such as
graphics drivers, browsers, compression software and even Cloud
storage software that will improve a PC user’s experience. The links on
our website won’t provide you with the files, instead it will lead you to
the developers’ official website, where you can find the right file for you.

004 november 17 chip malaysia

 contents
chip download

The Monthly Downloads

Seer
Operating system: Win Vista,7,8,10
A windows quick look tool for those who liked the feature on the macOS. It supports over hundreds of file formats like
video, audio, text and PDF. You can also copy video frames and images from your preview to the clipboard.

MediaPortal
Operating system: Win 7,8,10
MediaPortal transforms your PC into a HTPC, it displays all your movies, series’, photos and music in a dynamic way in the
comfort of your living room. Movie and music playback as you want to without ever getting in the way of your enjoyment.

MemTest86
Operating system: Win XP, Vista,7,8,10
A standalone memory testing software for x86 computers. It boots from a flash drive or CD and tests the RAM in your
computer for faults using a series of comprehensive algorithms and test patterns.

Telegram
Operating system: Win XP, Vista,7,8,10
A brand new messaging app that could rival Whatsapp, it lets you have self-destructing messages and allows you to
watch videos straight from its app instead of being redirected to YouTube.

PointerStick
Operating system: Win XP, Vista,7,8,10
PointerStick is a portable program that presents on the Windows Desktop a virtual pointer stick, for example for
Presentations to highlight the current mouse position and the emphasis on presenting will be better.

AnyBurn
Operating system: Win Vista,7,8,10
Any Burn is lightweight, but professional CD, DVD, or Blu-Ray burning software that everyone must have. It provides a
free and complete solution for burning to burn Audio CDs and more to rewritable discs or even create images from
already written discs.

Wise Disk Cleaner

Operating system: Win XP, Vista,7,8,10
Wise Disk Cleaner helps you to delete unnecessary files on your hard disk to free up disk space and make your computer
run faster. Providing many custom options allowing advanced users to clean up their files even further.

Etcher
Operating system: Win 7, 8, 10
Etcher helps to create bootable to USB sticks so you can try different live systems as you please, this way you can quickly
switch between live systems on your Raspberry Pi to choose the most suitable one.

Right Click Enhancer

Operating system: Win XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10
Right Click Enhancer adds applications, files and folder shortcuts to the right click menu leading to a cleaner and more
organised desktop. You can also create submenus inside the right click menu to keep even your right click menu
organised.

chip malaysia november 17 005

 news
From left to right: Edmund Hoh, Product Manager, Acer Malaysia; Chan Weng Hong, General Manager of Products, Sales and Marketing, Acer Malaysia; Jeffrey Lai, Product
Manager, Acer Malaysia; and Johnson Seet, Director of Products, Acer Malaysia
Acer Reveals Refresh
And More
Acer launches their new laptops refreshed with the latest
right generation Intel Core processors and many other
interesting products
A
cer Malaysia revealed its latest line
of devices, which comprise of two
laptops refreshed with the latest eight
generation Intel processors and more. Sturdy
yet flexible thanks to its patented dual-torque
hinge, the Acer Spin 5 is built for everyday use.
With a single charge giving up to 13 hours of
usage time, this is one laptop that is ideal for
users on the go. Furthermore, the 15.6-inch
model also offers a discrete NVIDIA GeForce
GTX 1050 option for users who demand
significantly better speed and power efficiency
from their graphics card.
The new Spin 5 is thinner than its
predecessor with the 13.3-inch model
measuring in at 15.9mm thin, while the
15.6-inch model is 17.99mm thin. Sporting a
sleek body with an eye-catching metal design
and durable hinge for easy convertibility to four
useful modes between laptop, tablet, display
and tent modes. The Acer Spin 5 is priced
from RM3,599 to RM4,999 depending on the
configuration users choose.
Then there’s the Acer Swift, also upgraded
006 november 17 chip malaysia
The XR382CQK supports FreeSync and Daisy Chaining
for a smooth multi-monitor setup
with the latest eighth generation Intel
processors and have the additional option
of adding a NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics
for the 15.6-inch model. With up to 10-hours
of battery life, the Acer Swift 3 boosts
performance and power efficient for all-day
work. The price for the Acer Swift 3 with the
NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics is RM4,299, The new Acer Spin 5 is 21% thinner than its previous
generation
and it is available in Stellar Blue and Steel Grey.
If you’re looking for a curved monitor, then
Acer has unveiled the Acer XR382CQK - their
first monitor featuring a 37.5-inch IPS curved
21:9 screen with UltraWide QHD+ display. With
a 2300R curvature, it presents a high-end
immersive experience with a wider field of view
and increased perceived area of peripheral
vision compared to a flat display. The monitor is
A quaint AIO PC which fits the needs of space savers
priced at RM4,999.
Finally, there’s the Acer Aspire C22-860, with a detachable webcam that connects with
a slim and elegant space-saving AIO PC. a USB and stays on magnetically. So if you’re
Featuring a 16:9 FHD display with an incredible in need for a space saving AIO PC, do check
90% screen-to-body-ratio borderless display, out the Acer Aspire C22-860, which is priced at
the display delivers vivid colours and shows RM2,399.
text sharply and clearly. The AIO PC also comes www.acer.com
 news

MSI Launches version of the Vortex G65 from last year, the
Vortex G25 is a compact gaming desktop in
a 2.5L-sized chassis that weighs only 2.5kg.

Malaysia’s Largest Having flat sides also allows the unit to be

placed upright or on a surface, plus it has VESA
mounting compatibility, so you can hook it to

MSI Store
the back of a TV or monitor and save even more
space. Equipped with a Nvidia GeForce GTX
1060 or 1070 and a eight generation Intel Core
The brand also launched an all new Vortex gaming desktop i7 processor inside, it has enough firepower to
PC play the latest games. At the same time, MSI
has equipped it with Cooler Boost Titan - a

T
here aren’t many concept stores of Currently, MSI has some of its latest cooling system with eight heatpipes.
major PC brands in Malaysia, though the motherboards and graphics cards, as well as a www.msi.com/my
number has been increasingly in recent slew of different notebooks on display. There’s
months. With gaming and e-sports continuing also a small VR experience
to gain prominence in Malaysia, it stands to space, where staff will be
reason that MSI would decide to bunk down on hand to help interest
and launch its biggest one here. customers try out the VR
The new MSI concept store, located near backpack and demo some
Kuala Lumpur’s BB Plaza and Low Yat Plaza, games on it. There’s also
will allow those interested in MSI products a console area complete
to browse through the brand’s selection of with a screen, racing seat,
complete systems and components. Covering and racing wheel. This
two floors, it will feature a product showcase area is now equipped with
area at the ground floor that also functions as a new compact desktop
the shopping zone, while the first floor will be PC, with other machines
used to host events. to replace it for demo in
MSI also mentioned that the company future.
plans to host mini local competitions on the The new desktop PC
first floor. More importantly, this gives MSI an is the Vortex G25, which
avenue to engage its fans regularly and build a was launched at the event
strong community for them. as well. A slimmed down The inside of the store

A demo area to see how some MSI products perform

MSI and partners cut the ribbon to officiate the opening of the new store The new Vortex G25

008 november 17 chip malaysia

 news
Third from Left: Mr. Khoo Hung Chuan (General Manager of Lenovo Malaysia and Singapore) with Mr. Gary Khan (Consumer Lead, Lenovo Malaysia) posing with cosplayers
and the new laptop!
New Entry To The
Lenovo Legion
Lenovo launches new devices that slots perfectly into the
Legion family, and comes with great features
I
n early October, Lenovo launched three
new products – the Lenovo Legion Y920
Laptop, Legion Y720 Tower and the Legion
Y520 Tower. Lenovo even invited ‘‘Geek Fam”,
a professional DotA 2 team that is based in
Malaysia, and the famous “Kuala Lumpur
Hunters” to attend the event, as these teams
are now sponsored by Lenovo. They even had
‘‘Tashbunny”, a popular Twitch streamer and
Astro eGG personality, alongside Geraldine
Read, Malaysian Race Car driver as Lenovo
Community members. At the event, Mr. Khoo
Hung Chuan (General Manager of Lenovo
Malaysia and Singapore) mentioned that
following the success of the previous League of
Champions Series I, which was held earlier this
year, they have decided to officially announce
that there will be a Series II.
The Y920 Laptop is equipped with some
powerful stuff under the hood. It comes with
a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, an
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 GPU, and up to
32GB of DDR4 memory. It is topped with a
010 november 17 chip malaysia
The Legion Y720 Tower
17.3-inch FullHD IPS display, which is capable
of 4K resolution, and sports a fully mechanical
keyboard that has multicolour backlighting. For
audio quality, Lenovo teamed up with JBL to
deliver a 3W Bass Subwoofer plus two 2W JBL
speakers combo for the laptop.
Next up are towering towers, the Y720
Tower and Y520 Tower, which come with
several different configurations. You can pad The Legion Y520 Tower
up the Y720 Tower with a 7th Generation Intel
Core i7 processor, a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
GPU and so on. Both the Y720 Tower and Y520
Tower can also be upgraded by yourself, giving
you ultimate customisation for your own builds.
All devices are now available to purchase
from official Lenovo Exclusive Stores and
Lenovo Multi Brand Stores. The Y920 Laptop
starts at a base price of RM12,999, which can The Legion Y920 Laptop – now equipped with a
go up depending on the configurations that mechanical keyboard
you opt for. As for the Y720 Tower and Y520
Tower, they are priced at RM7,799 and RM4,999 list of specifications and configurations, head
respectively, and prices will also increase on to Lenovo’s site or Official Stores.
depending on the configurations. For the full www3.lenovo.com/my/en
 news
From L to R: Michelle Lee (Marketing Assistant Manager of Consumer Imaging and Information Division), Jeffrey Kung (Head of Consumer Imaging and Information
Division), Andrew Koh (President and CEO) and Sandy Lee (Marketing Senior Manager of Consumer Imaging and Information Division) posing with the four new Canon
PIXMA printers
New Canon Printers
Now bridging the gap between smartphones and printers
with Bluetooth
C
anon officially unveiled and launched
four brand-new printers that are
equipped with new connectivity options
for consumers who love to print from mobile
devices. The four new devices in the PIXMA
series are the TS9170, TS8170, TS5170 and
TR8570. All models are equipped with Bluetooth
4.0 technology.
Andrew Koh, the President and CEO of
Canon Marketing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd said
‘‘Canon is proud to be Malaysia’s leading brand
for inkjet printers for the last 21 consecutive
years. It really is a testament to the dedication
we have towards our products, our customers
and the imaging industry. While we are grateful
for the support Malaysians have given us over
the years, we are commited to the pursuit of
excellence in providing quality innovations and
products as technologies continue to evolve.”
Jeffrey Kung, the Head of Consumer Imaging
and Information Division of Canon Marketing
Malaysia also chimed in, saying ‘‘The new
012 november 17 chip malaysia
printers are easy to use, efficient and looks
elegant, while maintaining the high print quality
that Canon is known for… Despite the rise of
the digital and social media era, we are still
seeing people who appreciate a hard copy of
their photos in their hands.”
The PIXMA TS9170 Photo All-in-One is
compact and elegant, thanks to its gold lid
with black chassis design. Users can now print
and scan photos and documents directly from
a mobile device, while being able to enjoy a
variety of Creative Filter options from the large
5-inch touch-screen display mounted on a tilt
panel. You can also print your images from
a memory card using the printer. As for the
TS8170, it comes in three different colours,
Stylish Black, Dynamic Red and Minimalist
White for those who want their printers to be
in sync with their surroundings. This comes
with a 4.3-inch touch-screen LCD. Both printers
have a new Ink System called Photo Blue, which
is capable of delivering breath-taking colour
reproduction. Photo Blue also operates in a new
6-ink system with the TS9170 and TS8170. Also,
cartridges will be available in standard and XL
capacity. The smallest of the bunch, the TS5170,
comes with a 2.5-inch LCD, while the TR8570
is equipped with a 4.3-inch touchscreen LCD
panel.
With Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
technology, also known as Bluetooth 4.0, users
can now interact with their printers easily
and can always stay connected to the PIXMA
printers via the Canon Print Inket/SELPHY
app. When a user’s printer is low on ink or on
paper, they will get a notification on their phone
notifying that they will need a change of paper
or ink cartridge, as long as they are in Bluetooth
range.
All the printers are now available for
purchase from Canon Image Square outlets,
authorised dealers, and Canon Official Store
on Lazada. The PIXMA TS5170 is only available
through Lazada. Retail prices are as follows:
PIXMA TS9170: RM1,037
PIXMA TS8170: RM840
PIXMA TR8570: RM999
PIXMA TS5170: RM537 (only on Lazada)
www.canon.com.my
 news
BenQ Introduces
Comprehensive B2B
Display Solutions
BenQ introduces a trio of new products providing ground
breaking display capabilities for education and corporate
industries
B
enQ has brought together a trio of their
product lines to offer a complete and all-
inclusive platform for presentation and
display purposes. This ranges from the durable
Dustproof Projectors, to the feature rich Germ-
Resistant & Eye-Care Interactive Flat Panels
(IFP) and low energy consumption BlueCore
Laser Projectors, plus Wireless Presentation
Solution InstaShow.
Developed with hassle-free and long
term use in mind, the Dustproof DX808ST
and LX810STD projectors are equipped with
the company’s own IP5X-rated Dust Guard
technology, which blocks and eliminates
dirt and particles from the device, providing
durability and longevity - a major benefit
for shared environments in education halls,
classrooms or in meeting rooms. BenQ
DustProof projectors integrates one or more
From left to right is Sasha Huang, Projector Business Line Manager, BenQ Asia Pacific Corporation; Jeffrey Liang, President, BenQ Asia Pacific Corporation; and Eason Lu,
General Manager, BenQ Service & Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd
014 november 17 chip malaysia
facilitating a truly interactive experience with
the various education and corporate purposes.
Lastly, we have the BlueCore LU9715 Laser
Projector along with the previously mention
LX810STD. This projector features BlueCore
Light Engine technology to bring you optimised
visuals and energy efficiency.
business-display.benq.com
enhancements designed to keep out dust boost
performance, and prolong operational life.
BenQ has also created a series of SGS-
certified 4K Interactive Flat Panel Displays
with health enhancing features like germ-free
surfaces and Smart Eye-care solutions. From The LU9715 with a an amazing 8,000 ASI lumens of
brightness
the Germ-Resistant & Eye-Care Interactive
Flat Panels (IFP) series, BenQ showcases their
65-inch RP654K, 70-inch RP704K and 75-inch
RP750K, which offer a host of interactive
platforms and health-conscious necessities.
All three products under the Germ-Resistant &
Eye-Care IPF series comes with a multi-layered
durable, non-toxic, nano-ionic silver agent that
kills most bacteria and viruses on contact.
They are also equipped with Smart-Eye-
Care solution, offering eye-care protection
and technologies like anti-glare, TUV-certified The BlueCore Laser & Dustproof LX810STD Short
blue light reduction, and flicker-free viewing, Throw projector
 news
A New Surface To
Work On
Microsoft’s long-awaited Surface Pro has finally launched in
Malaysia
O
n the 26th of September, we were
invited to the launch of the Surface
Pro at Colony @KLCC. Boasting several
new features that its older counterpart doesn’t
have, the new Surface Pro comes with new
accessories that were showcased at the event,
such as the new Surface Pen and new Surface
Pro Signature Type Cover.
The Surface Pro comes with several
configurations – 7th Generation Intel Core
m3, i5 or i7, 4GB to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, up
to 512GB of SSD or 1TB of PCIe NVMe, and a
12.3-inch Pixel Sense Display with 2736 x 1824
of resolution. It also has a fan-less design, as
the internal of the device is built with graphite.
It makes the device lighter and dissipates heat
easier compared to the previous generations.
Aside from that, the new Surface Pro comes
with a bigger battery, and up to 13.5 hours of
video playback, and boasts about 50% more
battery life than the previous generation.
Despite that addition, the Surface Pro is still
40g less than the Surface 4.
From L to R: Jacqui Miranda (General Manager, Windows & Devices Group, Microsoft APAC), Michal Golebiewski (Chief Marketing and Operation Officer for Microsoft
Malaysia) with Jane Dore (Surface Product Lead for Microsoft APAC)
016 november 17 chip malaysia
For creative workers, Microsoft has also
included a new Studio Mode, which slightly
raises the device instead of having it lay flat
on the table, and angles it towards you so you
can draw, scribble or write notes on it without
stretching your neck. Speaking of creativity,
the new Surface Pen aims to deliver the
best writing, creating, drawing and browsing
experience to you. It is optimised for the new
Surface Pro and with its accurate inking, you
can draw with ease. Also, it’s currently the
lowest latency Pen in the industry with only 21
milliseconds of latency. Moreover, it has four
times higher pressure sensor compared to the
previous generation of Surface Pen.
As for the Type Cover, it is made of
Alcantara, a suede-like luxury material from
Italy, which is normally used in expensive cars,
yachts and aircraft interiors. They keyboard
on the Type Cover is equipped with full 1.3mm
travel keys for 10% faster typing compared to
previous generations.
As mentioned, the Surface Pro comes with
several configurations and they are listed
below:
1. Intel Core m3, 128 GB SSD, 4GB RAM, Intel HD
Graphics 615 - RM3,699
2. Intel Core i5, 128GB SSD, 4GB RAM, Intel HD
Graphics 620 - RM4,499
3. Intel Core i5, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM, Intel HD
Graphics 620 - RM5,899
4. Intel Core i7, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM, Intel Iris
Plus Graphics 640 - RM7,199
5. Intel Core i7, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, Intel Iris
Plus Graphics 640 - RM9,999
As for the Surface Pro Signature Type Cover,
it is priced at RM669 and comes in Platinum,
Burgundy and Cobalt Blue. The Surface Pen
comes in Platinum, Black, Burgundy and
Cobalt Blue, and is priced at RM299. It is also
compatible with the older generation devices,
but the older devices would not be able to fully
enjoy the enhanced pressure sensor of the
Surface Pen.
www.microsoft.com/en-my/surface
A front shot of the Surface Pro, looking sleek as ever
 news
From left to right, Kelvin Lek (Managing Director of RugGear Southeast Asia, Jennifer Liew (Mobile-to-Business Director of Compunation Technology, Raymond Chew
(Managing Director of Compunation Technology) and Maverick Chen (President of RugGear Headquarters)
Combining
Smartphone With
Ruggedness
Besides launching a new ultra-compact camera, Sony also
launched the latest RX10 IV and FDR-AX700
R
ugGear is a brand known for their sturdy
smartphone that are made to withstand
extreme conditions. The brand that
originated from Germany is popular overseas
and spans all over the world now.
To spearhead the revolution of RugGear
devices in Malaysia, the brand’s sole local
distributor - Compunation - will be bringing
in three RugGear devices, namely the RG160,
RG310 and RG730. The RG160 comes IP68
rated and is capable of functioning from -20
degrees to 60 degrees, and MIL-STD 810G
certified. It features an 1,800 mAh battery, a
2.4-inch RugDisplay-Glass, 512MB of storage,
256MB of RAM, a touchpad for control and a
0.3-megapixel rear camera.
Next is the RG310, which comes with
a larger 3,600 mAh battery, and runs on
Android OS. It is also IP68 rated, can withstand
018 november 17 chip malaysia
with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and BPER Push-
To-Talk to equip local business with not just a
device for them to communicate, but a business
management tool.
www.ruggear.com
temperatures between -20 degrees to 60
degrees, and sports an amplified loudspeaker,
a LED torch, as well as a SOS Button for
emergency calls. Also, it has the same 2.4-inch
RugDisplay Glass with touchpad capabilities.
The device uses 3G and has Bluetooth, as
well as a 5-megapixel rear camera with a
0.3-megapixel front camera, 4GB of storage,
and 512MB of RAM.
Lastly, the RG730 sports a bigger 5-inch
RugDisplay Glass screen and is a more
advanced RugGear phone. It runs on Android
6.0 and has LTE, NFC and Dual Sim capabilities.
You can even charge its 3,020 mAh battery with
wireless charging. It has a 13-megapixel rear
camera, 16GB of ROM with 2GB of RAM. Similar
to the others, it is IP68 rated and MIL-STD 810G
approved. Jennifer Liew putting the RG730 to the water test!
Compunation will be bundling the devices
 news
Sony Malaysia executives and models at the event, posing for a shot with the newly launched cameras
Feature-packed,
Small Body
Besides launching a new ultra-compact camera, Sony also
launched the latest RX10 IV and FDR-AX700
A
few weeks ago, Sony launched a new
ultra-compact camera that comes
with very interesting uses. Designed to
have the image quality of Sony’s RX series of
cameras, the new RX0 has advanced features
to go with it - all crammed into its tiny, but
tough body.
To provide professionals and enthusiasts
new ways to express their creativity, Sony
developed the new RX0 to be good at not
only shooting still images, but also for filming
videos. Being so small also gives it a flexibility
that larger cameras may not have, such as
being hooked up to a flying drone. Measuring
at 59 x 40.5 x 29.8 mm (WxHxD) and weighing
110g, the RX0 is as small and as light as an
action camera. Despite its size, it’s a tough
cookie that can withstand drops and brave the
environment.
One of the main traits of the RX0 that
Sony is promoting is its ability to be used in a
020 november 17 chip malaysia
elements – with the right accessories. Using
the MPK-HSR1 housing, the camera can go
underwater to a maximum depth of 10-metres.
The body itself is also very robust, since it can
be dropped from 2-metres, and can survive
being crushed as long as it doesn’t exceed a
force of 200 kgf/2000N. In other words, this
camera can be used in rough environments, as
well as in the rain or dusty places.
The Sony DSC-RX0 is now available for
pre-order at a price of RM3,199. Sony also
multi-camera setup. This means that multiple introduced the DSC-RX10IV compact camera
RX0 cameras can be connected to one another, and the FDR-AX700 Handycam at the launch,
then capture shots simultaneously using the which are priced at RM7,999 and RM7,299
FA-WRC1M trigger. According to Sony, up to 15 respectively.
cameras can be triggered at once. In addition, www.sony.com.my
by using the PlayMemories mobile app, users
can actually connect five RX0 wirelessly so
that you can capture video footage from five
different angles. A camera control boxed that
will enable wired connection will be released
next year.
Another key feature of the RX0 is its 1.0-
type stacked 15.3-megapixel Exmor RS CMOS
image sensor, BIONZ X processor, and a built
in wide-angle ZEISS Tessar T 24mm F4 lens.
Considering its form factor, the lens if fixed but
does deliver a normal wide-angle view without
the fish-eye effect. It’s able to shoot in JPEG or
RAW, supports multiple video formats, and can
take pictures at a rate of 16 fps.
As mentioned, the RX0 can withstand the The new RX0 is smaller than the size of a palm

Huawei Kirin 970
The world’s first mobile chipset with built-in artificial
intelligence is ready to conquer your mobiles
O
n the 3rd of October, we were invited to
attend a briefing of the latest Huawei
mobile chipset, the Kirin 970. A step up
from their previous chipset that was featured in
its previous Huawei and honor models, the Kirin
960, the 970 comes with a new 10nm FinFET
manufacturing process and is the world’s first
chipset to feature a built-in AI from the get-go.
With the implementation of AI into the
chipset, Huawei is saying that the devices will
see improvements on camera features such
The Kirin 970 running a calorie counter app
Microsoft’s
CyberSecurity
Report of Malaysia
Malaysia’s malware infection rate is climbing and it’s not a
good thing
M
icrosoft revealed that Malaysia is
one of the countries that have been
infected with increased malware
encounter. Roughly an average of 12.9%
computers, that are running on Microsoft
real-time security products in Malaysia, have
reported at least a malware encounter in the
first quarter of 2017 alone. This is slightly
higher than the global average of 9%. However,
compared to the first quarter of 2016,
Malaysia has seen a significant decrease by
16.7%. Despite that, this is still a cause for
concern among Malaysians.
‘‘For digitalisation to reach its fullest
potential, users must first trust the
technology they use. Microsoft is committed
to helping our customers and partners to
as image recognition and sorting to optimising
your phones performance. The 970 comes with
an integrated 12-core GPU, Cat 18 Support
for improved LTE capabilities, better power
management with the 10nm structure and
an embedded neural processing unit (NPU).
In a test performed on the day, the Kirin 970
manages to outperform a Samsung S8 running
an image recognition app, and clocked an
average of 32 fps when recognising images,
finishing about a minute quicker than the S8.
However, Eric Zhou, the Product Marketing
Director for Huawei Wireless Terminal, has
mentioned that the image recognition app
currently only works in very few select apps.
Eric Zhou also mentioned that with the
Cat 18 Support, users will be able to enjoy
increased data transmission speed of up to 1.2
Gbps with 4x4 MIMO + 256QAM + DL 3CC. With
that said, the implementation of AI into their
mobile chips is meant to further streamline
build that trust and the first step is to help
them understand the multitude of cyber
threats out there, so they can implement
more effective ways to manage and neutralise
these risks,” said Dr. Dzahar Mansor, the
National Technology Officer for Microsoft
Malaysia.
Microsoft’s bi-annual Security Intelligence
Report (SIR) report mentions that
Ransomware Attacks are on the Rise. Indeed,
in the first half of the year alone, we have
encountered WannaCrypt and Petya, which
exploited vulnerabilities in outdated Windows
operating systems worldwide. Win32/Spora
has also rapidly became one of the most
widespread ransomware families. Spora
encrypts files with well-known extensions
news
Eric Zhou, Product Marketing Director for Huawei
Wireless Terminal posing with a Kirin 970
our life and to add extra convenience. We can’t
wait to see what it can actually offer to us
in a real-life situation. Currently, the Huawei
Mate 10 is pegged to have the latest Kirin 970
chipset, so all we have to do is wait for a proper
announcement.
consumer.huawei.com/my
From L to R: Dr. Dzahar Mansor (National Technology
Officer, Microsoft Malaysia) with Dato’ Dr. Haji
Amirudin Bin Abdul Wahab (Chief Executive Officer
of CyberSecurity Malaysia) unveiling the Microsoft
Security Intelligence Report (SIR) Volume 22
such as .doc, .jpg, .pdf and so on, while
utilising its worm capabilities and spreading it
to other computers in the same network.
Microsoft also outlined several practices
that everyone should practice, to reduce
their risk to cyberattacks. Always practice
caution when you are connected to a public
internet domain, ensuring that your software
is up to date, use the latest software and
technologies, and make sure that cyber
security and data privacy policies are high
priority in your organisation.
https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/
chip malaysia november 17 021
 news
Matrix Choong, Advantech Regional Sector Head (left) and Cheol Kim, Intel Asia Marketing Director of Retail
Solution Division at the event
Advantech iRetail
Solution Day 2017
The future of retail is not just online, but also in interactive
retail business on physical locations
A
dvantech, along with partners,
gathered for the Advantech iRetail
Solution Day 2017 where speakers
from their respective industries come
together to share their thoughts on iRetail.
What is iRetail you may ask? iRetail is
the combination of technology with retail
services, making services more thoughtful
and efficient in both operation and strategy
planning. As digital technologies change and
advance so does shopping behaviour and
consumer activity. Therefore, it’s important
that retail businesses get the data they need
to evolve together.
022 november 17 chip malaysia
A demonstration of heatmap mapping on the UShop+
platform
The UTC-542 Interactive Signage Display
iRetail is a very broad term that covers a
lot of bases, but we can give you a rough idea
what to look for. Data and information play
huge roles in iRetail, as knowing customer
behaviour and trends will allow business
owners to better serve and increase their
sales. Not only that, technology can be
integrated into simple equipment’s like
trolleys in a supermarket to prevent loss.
For every missing trolley, a supermarket
has to take a loss to replace it. But we
could prevent that from happening by using
technology. Some ways to improve your business is getting
feedback, and using iRetail technology makes things
Then there’s pilferage. Businesses, even easier
 news

appearance at the event to share their

innovations in transforming retail, from
their early Open Pluggable Specification
(OPS) models to their latest Intel Smart
Display Module (Intel SDM). The Intel SDM
is ideal for solutions and displays with
space constraints like interactive signages.
Data has shown that digital signages is the
world’s second fastest-growing ad medium,
together with kiosks it’s one of the fastest
growing applications, bringing with it strong
ROI and demonstrated increased sales, along
with promotion conversions and decrease in
sign auditing and printing costs.
Advantech is capable of providing
iRetail solutions, with countries and cities
like Bangkok and Thailand being their
biggest markets. Advantech’s UShop+ is a
An example on how interactive and digital signages are being used in an iRetail setting cloud platform built for retailers, providing
business intelligence and solutions through
store traffic analytics and store heatmaps.
especially one which Using camera setups that are already in
has cash exchanging place, UShop+ are capable of doing head
between hands, are counts, heatmap recording, facial detection,
most commonly plagued mobile WiFi detection, and keeping track of
with the issue of POS transaction data.
pilferage. Employees Then we have Advantech’s UPOS 500
may find a way to Series, which sport flexible and versatile
‘‘beat the system” and products with expandable inputs/outputs
slowly cause losses to and storage. The series’ modular design
the business. With real makes it easy to configure, maintain, and
time monitoring and the extend. They also feature compact and
ability to look out for stylish designs with multiple colour selection,
abnormal happenings, as well as a slim and fanless body with an
technology can help IP65 rated touch screen. A diverse second
prevent additional display can be purchased to showcase
losses and stop pilfering commercials or receipt information.
from happening. Following the UPOS 500 Series is the
Advantech provides innovative solutions for iRetail businesses, like the UPOS
500 series Intel also made an AIM-37, together with a cradle that turns
it into a Mini POS station. Designed for
mobility and stationary use, you can dock it
to charge and remove it anytime to service
customers in seconds. The compact cradle
is not just an embedded thermal printer, but
is also a self-service kiosk and an extension
hub that connects important business tools,
such as card readers and more.
This technology runs true with merchants
wanting a fast, cost-effective, secure, and
flexible way to migrate to better retail
solutions. This helps retail move away from
traditional desktop payment terminals to
tablet based POS payment systems that
offer more flexibility and features for a lower
total cost of ownership. Using a modular
approach these new tablet systems can
easily accommodate and adapt to growing
payment technologies.
Ivan Kong, Advantech Malaysia Area Sales Manager (left) demonstrating the AIM-37 POS system http://www.advantech.com/

chip malaysia november 17 023

 security report

A Service That Displays

Hacked Passwords
An add-on for the ‘Have I been pwned’ test service now allows users to check whether
their passwords have been cracked

T
here are numerous services that check whether the using brute force attacks, so avoid using it anymore.
data associated with a particular user account has Ideally, users should use a separate password for each
already been compromised in a hacking attack. For user account. If possible, you should also activate a 2-factor
example, security researcher Troy Hunt has been running authentication system. Password managers can also be quite
the haveibeenpwned.com password- helpful. However, we’re not really too
testing service for a few years now. keen about password services like
This service allows users to search for LastPass or Dashlane. More secured
e-mail addresses or user names and options are programs like KeePass,
find out whether their user accounts which ensure that the encrypted
have been affected by data theft. password file remains on the
Hunt has now expanded the service to computer. With such services, users
include a new function. who want to use their passwords on
The updated service now displays smartphones or other PCs will have
cracked passwords as well and all to independently ensure that the
the users have to do is click the password database is transported
‘‘Passwords” option in the menu, then in a secure manner. However, the
enter the password that they want to advantage lies in the fact that they
check. At the touch of a button, the will not have to share their passwords
service throws up one of two possible with a service.
messages. ‘‘Good news...” indicates In any event, many experts now
that the password in question has not believe that passwords have had
yet been stolen in a hacking attack, their day, at least when it comes
while ‘‘Oh no...” reveals that the to smartphones. In the near future,
password is already in the hands of biometric procedures will slowly but
hackers. Passwords that have already Along with e-mail addresses and user names, the surely become the new norm.
haveibeenpwned.com service also checks passwords
been snatched can be discovered

Data Theft Of The Month

175,000 IP CAMERAS: BUGS IN
CHINESE WEBCAMS
Security experts have uncovered multiple
loopholes in about 175,000 NeoCoolCam
IP cameras, where it is allegedly easy to
generate a buffer overflow on their logon
screens. This enables attackers to plant
malicious code, which in turn makes it
possible for them to either spy on the
camera owners or recruit the cameras for
a botnet. No patches have been released
as yet.
26 MILLION EUROS: MAJOR HAUL
OF CRYPTO-MONEY
A programming error in the Ethereum Wallet
has forced the company behind the product
(Parity Technologies) to part with a lot of
money. The error allowed unknown parties
to steal 26.8 million euros (approx. RM133.3
million) from people who were using the
crypto currency. According to the company,
the damage was contained and that the
attackers were unable to siphon off a further
67 million euros.
UNICREDIT: ACCOUNTS OF
400,000 CUSTOMERS HACKED
According to Italy’s UniCredit, data
associated with 400,000 of the bank’s Italian
customers has ended up in the hands of
hackers. Although the thieves did not steal
online banking passwords, they did manage
to grab IBAN numbers and large amounts
of personal information. Due to the case,
UniCredit has announced its desire to spend
2.3 billion euros (approx. RM11.4 billion) to
enhance its IT security.

024 november 17 chip malaysia

 security report

Threema Now Secures Voice

Calls As Well
T
he secure messenger Threema will soon start using end-to-end encryption for voice calls and volunteers can now test the new function,
using the beta versions of the Android and iOS apps. Threema creates the keys on the smartphone itself and will not leave the smartphone
at all, according to the Swiss company.

Hackers Can Self-Driving

Spy On Users Cars Can
Of Amazon Be Fooled
Echo Easily
T
he security company MWR Labs has uncovered a vulnerability

in Amazon’s smart Amazon Echo loudspeakers. The debug
contacts hidden under the bottom cover allegedly make it
possible to use an SD card to gain root access. Attackers would then
be able to randomly manipulate the loudspeaker and spy on owners.
According to Amazon, this flaw doesn’t affect the latest models, only
the Echo versions from 2015 and 2016. Amazon is recommending that
users avoid buying used loudspeakers, because they may have been
compromised in such a manner.
A
utonomous vehicles are easier to hack than you might
believe. Recently, a research team associated with various US
universities manipulated traffic signs by sticking characters
or scribbling on them. This confused the cars’ machine learning
algorithms to such an extent that (for example) stop signs were
incorrectly interpreted as 70 km/h zone signs. In order to minimise
such risks, the researchers are recommending a combination of
automatic recognition and as much contextual information as
possible.

Danger Barometer Blackmail Trojans: The most frequent type of Windows

malware
Even though the percentage of blackmail Trojans (ransomware) fluctuates from month to month,
High risk
ransomware programmes represent by far the most frequently-occurring type of Windows malware
Loopholes in Percentage of blackmail Trojans emerging in Windows malware
NeoCoolCam
IP cameras
make them
easy to hack
into, allowing
Medium risk
attackers 74%
to use it
as spying 62% 63%
60%
tools or for a 55% 58%
botnet
SOURCE: MALWAREBYTES LABS

Low risk

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017

Number of the Month:

26,800,000 Over 26 million Euros (approx. RM133.3 million)
worth was stolen from Parity Technologies, the
company behind the Ethereum Wallet

chip malaysia november 17 025

world wired web

PaintShop Pro 2018 Is

Glowing With A New
Interface
W
ith new looks, the classic image editor PaintShop Pro is now in version 20.0. The
program can be operated using finger tips on high-resolution screens. Like
Photoshop Elements, there is a working area for beginners (‘‘Basic elements”)
and a namesake ‘‘complete area” for advanced users. The developer Corel has also revised
the functions for cropping, transparency and text. The cloning brush now shows a preview
of the stamp goal including transparency. Even pipettes and the colour changer show the
transparency. In addition, the revised Text tool now offers superscript and subscript.
Paintshop Pro 2018 now goes beyond the usual material and offers ten new colour
palettes, 30 brushes, 30 histories, 30 textures and 15 samples. According to Corel, the tool
should start in double-fast time as compared to the previous version and special
algorithms, like the calculation of the sharpness depth can be done faster than before.
The image editor runs under Windows from Windows 7 version onwards and costs
around 70 Euro (approx. RM348), while the PaintShop Pro Ultimate 2018 costs around 90
Euro (approx. RM448). Buying the latter gives you more features, which are also offered by
the paint program Painter Essentials 5 and the Raw developer AfterShot 3.

Web Company
Versus US Neo-Nazis
T
he network operator Cloudflare has closed the account of the US -Neo-Nazi page Daily
Stormer. Earlier, companies like Google and AirBnB had already announced to boycott the
right-wing extremist propaganda.

Firefox 55
Is The First Disregarding The
Browser Digital Legacy
Supporting A
mere 18 percent of the web users have made provisions to deal with their digital legacy,
but only half of them have it under full control. Particularly, the youngest (14 to 29) and
the oldest (65+) generation hardly think about dealing with data after their death.

WebVR
W Password Rules
ith the update to the version 55,
Firefox is the first browser,
worldwide, to bypass the

Redefined
programming interface WebVR. As a result,
people who have virtual reality glasses like
Oculus Rift or HTC Vive can use VR contents

C
directly via Firefox. Mozilla has compiled some hanging passwords every 90 days was a rule that Bill Burr came up with. But ironically, the
tech demos to attract users and soon Chrome, creator of this solid IT rule has stopped following it himself. Instead of passwords laden
along with Microsoft Edge, will also have with special characters, he recommends constructions that comprise of several words. His
WebVR under their wings. reasoning for the change of rule was: ‘‘I was barking up the wrong tree.”

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 world wired web

Disney
Terminates Smartphones Set
Collaboration To Receive The
With Netflix Android 8 Update
T
he Walt Disney group is following a new streaming
strategy and therefore, has terminated its

collaboration with Netflix. However, not all Disney
TV productions are affected by the strategy, meaning that
Netflix subscriptions don’t have to completely avoid
Disney content. Thanks to the incorporation of the
streaming company BAMTech, Disney will offer new
movies from the Pixar studios and Disney from the end of
2019 onwards. The BAMTech branch, BAMTech Europe,
should start operations with the sports streaming of the
Discovery subsidiary from 2018 onwards.
A
ndroid O, the new version of the operating system from Google, will roll out
soon. Interesting new features include the battery management for better
control of background processes, more options for notifications and a picture-
in-picture (PiP) function. Even for developers, there is something to look forward to,
like WebView and Java improvements. As usual, Google’s devices will receive the
update first, i.e. the Pixel, Pixel C, Pixel C, Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X. As for the Nexus
Player - models by other manufacturers like Samsung, Sony, HTC, or Huawei - the
earliest they can expect an update is by the fourth quarter of 2017. There is still
speculation about the name of the Nougat successor, but it is most likely to be code
named ‘‘Oreo” – an American biscuit which is already in the market since 1912.

Anker Eufy Genie Hardware

Declares War Against Update
Echo Dot With Tesla
T W
he accessories manufacturer Anker has launched a loudspeaker compatible with Alexa, called ith the production start of the new
Eufy Genie in the market, which has all the Alexa skills. With a price tag of 35 Dollars (approx. model 3, Tesla is also upgrading the
RM148), it is cheaper than Amazon’s Echo Dot. All units that have Alexa Skills can be central computer of Model S and
controlled with it in small and smart households, including Lighting, sonication, weight and health Model X to ‘‘hardware 2.5”. This is remarkable
checks, robot vacuum cleaner control, reminder, alarm and information functions. Thanks to a 3.5 since the CEO Elon Musk had envisioned pure
mm jack socket, you can also connect the weak Genie to more powerful sound systems. Finally, one automation functions as software update for
can strive for a larger base for the then-new ‘‘Hardware 2.0”. According to
the Alexa platform. Anker, Tesla, cars will
which was previously known be upgraded
for its chargers and with the new
powerbanks, is selling its hardware free
products through Amazon and of cost, should
will soon have other products it be necessary
included as well. for the
autopilots.

chip malaysia november 17 027

world wired web

HKTDC Electronics Fair &

ElectronicAsia 2017
Hong Kong is a city that is filled with innovation and development. In a year alone, there are
more than 3 fairs that solely focus on Electronics and IT, courtesy of HKTDC. This year, we
were invited to one of them
By Rikco Shim

T
he Hong Kong Trade Development
Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body
that is dedicated to promoting Hong
Kong trade, by exploring opportunities for
companies in Hong Kong, especially the
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),
and propel them to the world stage for
potential business partners.
Every year, HKTDC organises more than
320 trade fairs and promotional activities,
590 networking and outreach events, and
receives about 650 trade missions to help
Hong Kong’s SMEs. Aside from the Spring
and Autumn Electronics Fair, HKTDC
organises fairs such as Optical Fairs,
International Wine and Spirits Fair, SmartBiz
Expo, Baby Products Fair, Food Expo and so
on. By doing so, HKTDC is able to position
Hong Kong as Asia’s central business district
and set the city as a trendsetter. This will
encourage overseas and mainland
companies to utilise Hong Kong’s services
platform, bringing more business
opportunities to local service providers.
For this year’s HKTDC Electronics Fair
(Autumn Edition), we were invited to attend
the fair, and it was an eye-opening
experience as we were treated to a plethora
of new startups, inventions and technologies
that have yet to hit the market. The
following pages are some products that
caught our eye from the show floor during
the fair.

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 world wired web

Oikay
Oikay is a company that specialises in mini cameras that can be
placed almost anywhere. For example, take your everyday car dash
cam. It is heavy, requires constant power and can’t be placed
everywhere. This is where Oikay comes in. Take the Oikay C3, for
example. The C3 is a mini camera that can be attached to magnetic
surfaces. If you wish to use it as a body cam instead, simply link the
magnet together and tuck the metal surface onto your coat pocket,
and voila, you have a body cam. Maybe you’re cycling somewhere and
wish to have a bike cam, then you can stick the C3 onto your bike.
Using the C3 is as simple as that, it comes with a 650mAh battery
that can record up to 4.5 hours before requiring a charge. You can also
control the camera using your smartphone app.
www.oikay.com

ONO
ONO is a Smartphone 3D Printer that prints objects using your
smartphone. Simply plug the ONO printer to your smartphone, launch
the ONO app, and print away. The ONO can reach up to 42-XY and
100-Z micron resolution. For 3D blueprints, you can either design
them yourself, or select a design from the ONO app. The ONO requires
resin to print out the obects, and you there are a few resins that you
can choose from, such as ‘‘Solid”, a hard cream-white resin like PMMA
and is opaque, or ‘‘Ruby Red” a firm bright red resin like ABS that
produces glossy objects.
www.ono3d.net

QIUB
QIUB is a power bank that does much more than just being your
regular old power bank. It comes with an integrated data cable which
can be used to transfer data from or to your phone from a PC. It also
comes with a microSD reader that can be used to store or move your
important documents. Available in two sizes, the QIUB also comes in
two different capacities. At the moment, the QIUBs comes with a
microUSB and Lightning connector for your Apple and Android devices.
They have mentioned that more USB connections will be made
available in the future. So instead of having two different cables and a
card reader, you can just carry one around. One stylish cube that fits
into your pockets.
www.myqiub.com

HICOOLER
HICOOLER is the world’s first personal pocket-sized air-conditioner. If
you’re someone who just wants a little cooling during the warmer
days no matter where you are, simply fill the tank and you have your
own air-conditioner. According to HICOOLER, when filled into the tank
the water will not leak out, therefore making it safe to store in your
backpack or carry-on. You can use it in a few settings: Quiet Mode,
which barely produces any noise, or the Strong Mode that will
definitely cool you off on a hot sunny day. The HICOOLER has been in
development for six years. It has been approved by the US Patent
office and is currently undergoing a Kickstarter campaign. You can
even purchase an additional battery for the HICOOLER that functions
as a power bank if needed.
www.hi-cooler.com

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world wired web

GOQI
Qi charging has been around for a while now, but just being able to
charge wirelessly is not enough for the guys at GOQI. GOQI has
decided to take it up a notch by making wireless charging a possibility
while being on the move. With a combination of wireless charging in
an everyday wallet, GOQI has tackled it with style. As most of you
know, needing to fumble around with wires while on the go is not an
easy task. GOQI has designed several different products to solve that
problem. You can have a suction enabled power bank with wireless
charging capabilities, or a fashion wallet that has a pocket for you to
slide your phone into and charge. The wallet even comes with several
different designs to suit different needs and different styles.
www.goqiwireless.com

BCxLAB
BCxLAB has several products under its belt, and one of them is the
LYNQ. The LYNQ is a one stop solution for your office or home office
needs. It is built with a Bluetooth speaker with an integrated mic for
music or business calls. Aside from the speaker, it comes with a
USB-C input for your MacBook, four USB Ports for you to charge your
other devices, Qi wireless charging pad on top of the device, and a
cable organiser under the device to align all your USB cables neatly.
For the busy businessman, it even has three holders for you to hold
your pens and stylus. Other BCxLAB products include the ‘‘Alumina”,
an aluminium mousepad for the discerning businessman, Bluetooth
speakers – ‘‘Nano”, a speaker the size of a business card, and
‘‘Harmony” a speaker with power bank capabilities.
www.bcxlab.com

Green Rain
Green Rain is a company that’s devoted to audio products, and this time they’re
unveiling something new for the night time runner or audio enthusiast that
wants to be different. Introducing the S206, a Smart Bluetooth Headset that
comes with some unique features under its hood. Firstly, it comes with Glow
cables that can be tuned to either glow regularly, or to the tune of the music
that you are listening to. In addition, the device hooked onto the earbuds is
capable of giving you HiFi Sound and adapts to your hearing. Aside from that, it
also comes equipped with a microphone which can change your voice. If you
wish to mask your voice, then this is the way to go. It also has Auto-tune
capabilities to make you sound like T-Pain, or when you are having a sore
throat, it will make you sound soothing. The S206 has a 600 mAh battery
capacity, which is equal to 14 hours of playback at medium volume with the
glow off, or five hours if the glow is turned on.
www.szgreenrain.com

Move It
Move It is an all-in-one fitness equipment that can be placed virtually anywhere and
will not cost you much space, as it is only as big as a water jug. Simply place it in your
car, home or your office, you can have can have your exercise virtually anywhere. It
comes with an Ab Wheel, Jump Ropes, Pushup Stands and Resistance Bands. At first
looks, these devices may seem unfamiliar to you, and that’s because you have yet to
connect everything together. It comes with a set of Smart Handles, which are required
to power and to track your exercise with. For example, if you wish to use the Ab Wheel,
simply connect the handles to the Ab Wheel. The handles will detect what equipment
you are using and send the data to your smartphone app. You can physically see the
reps that you’ve done and calories burned via the app. Leaderboards are present on
the app between workout pals and worldwide leaders, so you can challenge yourself to achieve better. A spokesperson from the company
mentioned that more exercise tools will be made available soon. Exercise better and smarter, while not taking up valuable space.
http://www.move-it.club/

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 world wired web

HYone – Flameless Lighter

The HYone Flameless Lighter requires no flame to light up your cigarettes. It
uses a unique shaking method to spark the ring of the lighter and voila, your
cigarettes will be lit. The device itself is very slim and lightweight and
according to HYone they have ensured that it will not accidentally misfire
and cause mass hysteria. It uses a microUSB input to charge the device.
http://hyone.hk

Linough – Ninja Lock

Ninja Lock is an easy step towards making your home a smart home. It is a lock
that is placed on the opposite side of the key entry. You can then unlock the lock
with your smartphone using an app, or even allow other people to have access to
unlock your door via the app for events or Airbnb access. In addition, you can still
unlock the device with your normal key, keycards or order an additional keypad
accessory.
https://www.ninjalock.me

Phi Networks – PhiGolf

PhiGolf allows you to play golf almost anywhere, provided you have a golf club
with you and the PhiGolf sensor. Simply plug the device onto the back of a golf
club, turn on the device and pair it with your smartphone. Launch the PhiGolf app
and you can practice your swings and play games. You can accurately analyse
your putts and swings with the app, and you can even play a few games on it with
friends or go solo. An easy way to practice your swings without going to a full
course.
http://www.phigolf.com/

GOXD – Memto
The Memto is an art piece, a moving photo frame and home decoration that you
can use to display moving images, like the moving images that you see in the
Harry Potter movies. Using a unique technology that converts images to
different blocks, which can then display Live Images or 3D images. You can now
use this to display your family pictures in 4K or even moving images to show off
that special moments.
http://www.goxdmemto.com/

DreamWave – Tremor
Have you ever wanted to bring out a Bluetooth speaker to the beach and blast
your tunes, but worry that it’ll be dirty or drown in water? Worry not as the
Tremor is a speaker that is built for outdoor audio enthusiast. Built tough and
equipped with two full range drivers, two tweeters and two subwoofers, you
don’t have to worry about the Tremor not having enough power. It comes with a
20,800 mAh battery and can also act as a power bank for your other devices.
http://godreamwave.com/

chip malaysia november 17 031

world wired web

the platform now has over one million

Alibaba Computing customers, making it the world’s fastest

growing global Cloud Computing service.
There are documented case scenarios of

Conference 2017
This year’s conference shows that AliCloud is up there with
AliCloud’s success in the Cloud computing
business, such as during 2016’s Singles’ Day,
when over billions of transactions were
processed in that day without any hiccups.
Hu also mentioned that Malaysia’s own
the big names when it comes to Cloud services, but more is AirAsia has used Alibaba’s Cloud and
yet to come security technologies to defend against 90%
By Matthew Yap of cyber-attacks.
Industries around the world will begin to
depend on internet technologies in the
future, which is why Alibaba is preparing to

E
arlier in October, Alibaba hosted its Alibaba Cloud Computing, he mentioned that
annual Computing Conference, with the
event held at Hang Zhou this year. The
key focuses at this conference were topics
related to Big Data, Machine Intelligence, the
Internet of Things and more.
Themed ‘‘Apsara Intelligence”, it’s clear that
Alibaba is placing a lot of emphasis on AI
and building the support and platform it
needs. Alibaba believes that AI will rule the
future and a quote found in a video during
the conference proves this: ‘‘AI is a child and
in the future, everything will be a child.” To
that end, many of Alibaba’s investments in
China over the last few years has centred
around concepts like Smart Cities, which rely
heavily on technologies like IoT to link
infrastructures to Machine Intelligence that
analyses the data that are collected.
In a keynote by Simon Hu, President of President of Alibaba, Jack Ma, giving his keynote speech

032 november 17 chip malaysia


The official launching of The Academy
launch more Cloud server centres. According
to an Alibaba representative, Malaysia will
be getting its own AliCloud Cloud server
centre soon. As for products, new servers
announced included the Thor – a proprietary
but modular server that can adapt to various
technologies; the X-Trident, which
specialises in providing the dual advantage
of a physical server’s stability with a Virtual
Machine’s scalability; and the Kylin server
that uses immersion liquid-cooling for
greater power reduction. However, we have
yet to confirm if the Malaysian server centre
will include the newer offerings.
Case study: Hema stores
One of the applications of Cloud technologies
from AliCloud was for the chain store in
China known as Hema. Located in multiple
states of the country, the retail chain store
uses Alibaba’s technology to integrate
e-commerce with onsite shopping in a near
seamless manner. Founded in 2015, Hema
represents Alibaba’s success in reinventing
the traditional supermarket.
The chain store was founded due to a
plan to merge the online and offline world.
This idea isn’t new, but it is now possible due
to the widespread use of smartphones and
mobile devices. And Alibaba’s relative
success with Hema shows that it can be
done. Since it was first launched in 2015, the
brand has since then launched 13 branches
located in major cities in China, such as
Beijing, Shanghai, and Ningbo.
CHIP was invited to tour one of these
stores, where everything can be ordered to
cart from the shelves, then paid at a single
counter – all with the use of a single mobile
app. Besides that, the app will also allow the
shopper to find out more about an item or
product when the bar code is scanned with
world wired web
personnel to join the programme. Alibaba
has appointed its Chief Technology Officer,
Jeff Zhang, to steer the helm of the
Academy. To accomplish these goals,
Alibaba plans to invest more than 15 million
USD into R&D in the course of the next three
years.
‘‘The Alibaba DAMO Academy will be at
the forefront of developing next-generation
technology that will spur the growth of
Alibaba and our partners. We aim to
discover breakthrough technologies that will
enable greater efficiency, network security
and ecosystem synergy for end-users and
businesses everywhere,” said Jeff Zhang.
In his keynote speech, Executive
Chairman of Alibaba Group, Jack Ma, also
said that he believes that development
should aim to solve the world’s greatest
the app, while also displaying other problem in order to be considered a great
suggested items for the shopper. One of the endeavour. ‘‘To be the greatest, you must
main draw for the locals are the food stalls solve the world’s greatest problem,” he said
within, as well as fresh seafood from over 50 in Mandarin. He has set three mandates for
countries, which can be ordered and cooked the programme: To exist longer and beyond
within the premise. To better cater to the Alibaba Group itself; to service and
needs of those in the area, the stores use contribute to the whole world; and to
Alibaba’s data-driven Cloud services to track represent the generation and the world. In
the preferences and purchases of people the course of doing so, DAMO will aim to be
within 5km radius of the store. self-sustainable and not rely on funding
from the Chinese government.
Setting up for Discovery, As of now, seven R&D labs are on the
Adventure, Momentum and cards and Alibaba has announced that those
Outlook will be in China (Beijing and Hangzhou), the
One of the big announcements at the United States (San Mateo and Bellevue),
Computing Conference was the launch of the Moscow in Russia, Israel (Tel Aviv) and
Alibaba DAMO Academy. Also known as ‘‘The Singapore. Some of the areas of research
Academy”, it is an innovative global research that were mentioned include data
programme created with the goal of intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), fintech,
increasing technological collaborations quantum computing and human-machine
worldwide, advancing the development of interaction.
cutting-edge
technology and
narrowing the
technology gap
for a more
inclusive world.
Through
DAMO, which
stands for the
‘‘Discovery,
Adventure,
Momentum and
Outlook,” the
company aims
to open more
research and
development
(R&D) centres
around the
world and You can find out more about a product at a Hema store, or add it to a e-shopping
recruit talented cart by scanning these bar codes
chip malaysia november 17 033
 feature
Technilexicon:
Wireless-ax
Wireless transmission is becoming faster than ever, but the
new 802.11ax standard also focuses on the use of LTE
technology to feed a higher number of devices
By Jorg Geiger
S
ince 2013, a new work group has been
been working on the successor to the
current 802.11n (2.4 GHz) and 802.11ac
(5 GHz) standards - the 802.11ax standard.
The first ax-routers probably won’t be
available before 2019, but it’s exciting to know
that the packaging of such routers could
feature signs reading ‘‘10 Gb-WiFi” or the like.
In theory, this does indeed sound like it
would be possible, because an ax-router can
simultaneously emit eight data streams.
What’s more, each data stream would have a
maximum capacity of 1200 Mb/s. All in all, this
would translate to a total of 9600 Mb/s. In
comparison with its predecessor, the data
throughput would be 27 percent higher.
Wireless ax nabs such a high data throughput
with the help of modulation tuning. Previously,
WiFi transmissions used an 8-bit modulation
with 256 symbols (256-QAM, or quadrature
amplitude modulation). In comparison,
802.11ax is compatible with 10-bit modulation,
which in turn leads to the level of 1024-QAM.
However, the developers of 802.11ax are not
targeting the major speed boost that would be
feasible under such circumstances. Or rather,
they are not aiming for such a scenario when
it comes to the maximum attainable data rate.
Countering WiFi congestion
Although the new standard has yet to be
finalised, relevant work groups are already
calling it “high-efficiency wireless’. They are
referring to its ability to ‘service’ more users at
a time, compared to its predecessor. It should
also, theoretically, serve users at a higher
speed. This applies in particular to situations
in which other users are already using a lot of
bandwidth. In other words, when the WiFi
becomes congested, ax-routers are supposed
to feed the average wireless network user at
four times the original speed. This is crucial,
034 november 17 chip malaysia
because the number of WiFi-capable devices
in an average household is constantly on the
rise. The 2.4-GHz frequency band is already
hopelessly overloaded and the congestion
merely took a breather
when 802.11ac was
introduced with the 5-GHz
More MU-
band. 802.11ax transmits MIMO in the
in both frequency bands
and is compatible with
upload
existing WiFi clients. gets rid of the bottleneck in
Specifically, ax is backward- current home networks that
transmit with wireless-ac
compatible with everything
up to 802.11b, which was introduced in 1999.
Consequently, compatibility problems
involving your existing WiFi devices should
constitute no more than an absolute exception
to the rule.
Adoption of LTE technology
However, old WiFi devices cannot use all the
new ax functions. This is why the packet
header envisions two separate domains. The
first one is a legacy part for compatibility with
existing standards, while the second part is for
high efficiency. The fact that even a single
character can make a big difference is
primarily demonstrated by the new
modulation procedure, which is only
compatible with ax clients. In addition to the
existing OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency-
Division Multiplexing), the new ax-WiFi is also
compatible with OFDMA (Orthogonal
Frequency-Division Multiple Access). This is
something that has been adopted by the
developers of LTE. OFDMA becomes necessary
in situations in which the number of
simultaneous users is very high, and most of
the clients spend their time waiting during
standard operations. The customary channels
– i.e. 20, 40, 80 and 160 MHz – are sub-divided
into several small sub-carriers, which are then
allotted to concrete WiFi clients. The small
sub-carrier bundles (resource units) are
dynamically allocated to the available WiFi
devices and will always apply to all of them.
Compared to OFDM, OFDMA reduces the
control data overhead, which makes a big
difference when it comes to situations
involving small data packets like messenger
messages.
Multi-User-MINO uplink
The predecessor, 802.11ac, shortened the wait
for free channels with the help of a Multi-User-
MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output). A base
station that is compatible with 802.11ac Wave
2 can simultaneously feed up to eight WiFi
devices (8 x 8), but this was previously only
possible in the downstream process. However,
wireless-ax completely
integrates the Multi-User-
MIMO functionality into the
upstream process, which
makes it possible for up to
eight devices to send data
to the base station
simultaneously. A nice little
side effect is that even older
ac-devices feel the upload boost, because they
don’t have to wait for a long time. Live
streaming and video-sharing operations
require uploads that are as fast as possible.
Wireless-ax uses the well-known beamforming
technique for simultaneous transmitting and
receiving operations involving multiple devices.
With the beamforming technique, each WiFi
device is identified using a kind of fingerprint.
This fingerprint follows the spatial
arrangement of the aerials. At the same time,
ax also optimises matters in other areas and
sub-divides the frequency spectrum into
multiple sub-carriers in a more accurate
manner. The symbol length is stretched from 4
(AC) to 16 microseconds. The goal of these
measures is to facilitate a more robust transfer
that stretches all the way up to the boundary of
the radio cell.
In addition, a new scheduler ensures that
the base station and devices properly negotiate
the usage of the stronger upstream operation.
In this case, the base station is the unit that is
in charge, which will send a trigger frame to all
the WiFi devices. This frame specifies which
streams a device may use for the uplink and
when. Even if the waiting periods are short,
devices can conserve electricity by falling into
sleep mode until the time is right.
 Web-enabled devices per
802.11ax: Good for many devices 4-person household

2012 8
When it came to the new 802.11ax WiFi standard, the developers’ goal
was higher efficiency. Multiple devices are supposed to be fed much 2017 24
quicker, especially in overloaded WiFis 2022 50
Source:: GSM Association

802.11ac 802.11ax
Multi-User-MIMO Multi-User-MIMO
In the beginning, 802.11ac Wireless-ax upgrades Multi-
could only supply data to four User-MIMO in an important
WiFi clients simultaneously. area. Like before, one case
Wave 2 facilitated eight can still serve eight devices
streams, which flow from the simultaneously. What’s new
base station to the devices. is that the multi-user
However, a bottleneck occurs function also works when it
when it comes to uploads, comes to uploads. This
because only a single means that it is available for
connection is established for the path leading from the
the route leading from the clients to the base. Even
devices to the base. older clients benefit from
this arrangement.

Sub-carrier spacing: Transfer more data

OFDMA: More efficient data transfers
When it comes to OFDM (left) in an ac-WiFi, even tiny payloads end up
occupying entire packets. On the other hand, ax-WiFi‘s (right) OFDMA
combines different payloads in order to reduce the overhead
When it comes to a WiFi, the spectrum of frequency blocks is divided
into sub-carriers. In case of ac and ax, the sub-carriers have widths of
312.5 kHz and (just) 78.125 kHz, respectively. This makes data transfers
more insensitive to disruptions

802.11ac 802.11ax
Signal

User 1 User 1
Frame (website) (website) 802.11ac

Frequenz 312.5 kHz

Frame User 2 Frame User 2

(Streaming) (Streaming)
Signal

802.11ax

Frame User 3 User 3

(Messenger) (Messenger) Frequenz 78.125 kHz

Comparing About 18 years ago, Wireless LAN appeared for the first time at the humble level of 802.11b, but they gained a good foothold
quickly. Further development will be determined by the throughput and speed. Wireless-ac drastically increased the maxi-
WiFi standards mum data rate, while wireless-ax will optimise the Multi-User-MIMO feature. The latter is great for situations in which sever-
al devices are transmitting simultaneously

802.11b 802.11g/a 802.11n 802.11ac 802.11ax

Maximum data rate
11 54 150 866 1.200
per stream (in MBit/s)
Frequency band
2,4 2.4/5 2.4 and 5 5 2.4 and 5
(in GHz)

Channel width (in MHz) 20 20/20 20 and 40 20, 40, 80 or 160 20, 40, 80 or 160

Single Input Single Output Single Input Single Output Multiple Input Multiple MIMO/MU-MIMO MIMO/MU-MIMO
Aerial technology
(SISO) (SISO) Output (MIMO) (only downstream) (downstream and upstream)
DSSS and Orthogonal Orthogonal Frequency- Orthogonal Frequency- OFDM, Orthogonal
Transmission Direct Sequence Spread
Frequency-Division Division Multiplexing Division Multiplexing Frequency-Division Multiple
technology Spectrum (DSSS)
Multiplexing (OFDM)/OFDM (OFDM) (OFDM) Access (OFDMA)
Maximum number of
1 1 4 8 8
spatial streams
 feature

1982
Approximately six Market launch
The vinyl-killer started with Billy Joel

kilometres and ABBA

is the length of the spiral-

shaped signal track on a
fully-written CD

1980 1990

1992
Blank CDs
Thanks to the CD-R, users can
conveniently copy their music onto
their own PCs for the first time ever

CHIP TIMELINE
Photos v. li.: Sony Music; Universal Music; iStockphoto/terex, Jacob Wackerhausen; Apple
Birth And Downfall Of
A Circular Shiny Thing
35 years ago, the first compact discs reflected the light of day and turned the music
market inside out – even Ludwig van Beethoven played a role in its development
By Patrick Hannemann

S
ince the invention of sound recording
(which took place about 140 years ago),
there have been four major
commercially-successful data carriers for
music: The Edison cylinder, gramophone
records, Compact Cassetes and finally CDs,
which will eventually see the end of the era of
physical distribution of songs.
In 1982, Billy Joel’s ‘52nd Street’ became
the first music album in the world to be
distributed on compact discs. Despite the
still-high prices of players, the CD outstripped
the ‘black gold’ vinyl record to become the
world’s largest-selling sound carrier in less
than ten years. The first commercial player –

036 november 17 chip malaysia

 feature

1999 2016
Peak Music

SOURCE: IFPI.ORG
CD sales hit their worldwide Stabilisation phase
peak around the millennium. In 2016, the music industry as a
Revenue: About 26.9 billion US whole grew by 5.9%, while digital
Dollars sales grew by 17.7% to a whopping
US$7.8 billion.
2000 2010 2017

2003
Legally digital
ortals like iTunes and Musicload
become more and more popular,
along with MP3 players like Apple’s
iPod

Sony CDP-101 – had a price tag of about 720
dollars then. However, the benefits
outweighed the price. With a diameter of just
twelve centimetres, the CD was a lot smaller,
and its initial playback capacity of up to 74
minutes (without changing sides) meant that
it could play audio for a longer period of time.
Sony and Philips had agreed upon this
particular playback duration, so that Wilhelm
Furtwೂngler’s interpretation of Beethoven’s
9th Symphony would fit onto a single disk.
The compac disk functioned in a similar
way to that of the gramophone record. In fact,
the only difference is that it operates on a
smaller scale. For the CD, information – i.e.
music or data – is located on a spiral-shaped
track. This track is made up of long and short
‘pits’ and ‘lands’, i.e. recesses and rises that
can be measured in micrometres. Instead of
being read through a needle, they are read
optically with the help of a laser (from the
inside to the outside). The sequence of long
and short pits represents a 16-bit binary
coding of the audio data, with a sampling
frequency of 44,100 Hertz. Unlike LPs, this
arrangement does not generate static or
clicks.
CD sales hit their peak at the turn of the
millennium. In 1999, millions of albums were
sold all over the world. However, this was also
when the birth of the Napster website
heralded the decline of the CD. Millions of
users used the music-sharing site to share
MP3 files with each other and the trend
continued until the year 2001, when the site
was shut down due to massive legal steps
taken by the music industry.
Legal service providers like iTunes and
Musicload were the ones that attracted the
masses toward the option of purchasing and
enjoying music without using any data
carriers. Unlike the clunky ‘Discman’, MP3
players like Apple’s iPod were able to fit
snugly in pockets. What’s more, they could
also carry a higher number of albums at one
go. In fact, users didn’t even have to change
sides. Modern streaming services are even
making the troublesome process of copying
audio files unnecessary.
Unlike gramophone records, it’s doubtful
whether the compact disk will be able to make
a comeback in a niche segment. After all, it
can offer neither the charm of analogue nor
long-term durability.

chip malaysia november 17 037

 feature

Voice Assistants Raising

Rude Kids?
Algorithms are endlessly patient and voice assistants like Alexa, Cortana or Siri respond in an
undeterred and friendly manner, even to rude words. What is it teaching us as users?
By Richard Meusers

W
hen young Brite Ben John spread the Google query that reason for the excitement? How do two incomparable phenomena
his grandmother May Ashworth searched for via Twitter, collide in every good point? In this case, the virtue of courtesy and
Photos: iStockphoto/ideabug (li.); Marc Bergmann (re.)

there was no end to the wonder and gossip on the
Internet. Newspapers and blogs reported what the old lady had
hopefully written in the input window of the search engine: ‘‘Kindly
translate these Roman numerals MCMXCVIII, thanks”. As per her
request, the website displayed the answer as ‘‘1998”, so far so good.
Why did this situation that an 86-year old, who obviously does not
belong to the ‘‘digital natives” and who displays an old-fashioned
attitude, garnered so much attention?
Ideally, some will consider May Ashworth as uninformed and
naive or make fun of her. And all the more after they read the
clarification from the lady: ‘‘I thought, there is someone who will
give me the answer and wanted to thank him for it.” What was the
the digital technology. These days, it’s amazing to see manners on
the internet, despite the protection of anonymity it offers.
Politeness has always been a fundamental part of humans.
Something that many forget while working with programs and
computers for a long time.
The first victim of the computer world is
manners
If it was never practiced, then it can’t be considered lost. The
difficulty for parents to educate their children is set to experience
extensive changes, thanks to the likes of Artificial Intelligence.
However, whether it will always generate the desired results is

038 november 17 chip malaysia

 feature

debatable. The last cry in the palette of deals from Amazon is the
small tower speaker Echo, which hides the digital assistant Alexa
inside. Like its virtual counterparts Cortana or Siri, Alexa listens to
every word and never gets tired.
The first ones to discover this are always the children. If, for Virtual voice assistants
instance, the assistant is connected to Hi-Fi system, then it could
>Alexa >Google Assistant
lead to an endless game for them. ‘‘Alexa, make the radio louder!” -
Amazon‘s little helper can obtain The successor of Google Now also
‘‘Alexa, lower the radio volume!” - ‘‘Alexa, make the radio louder!”
new capabilities, also known as answers questions in context.
And it’ll go on and on, soon becoming a loud battle between the
skills, and can be integrated overall.
stubbornness of the digital operator and the person involved. Adults >Jarvis
are already doubting the inevitable lapses of the assistant. For >Bixby Facebook‘s experimental AI adapts
example, they might ask for it to switch off the Philips Hue Light, but At the start of the year, Samsung itself as a self-learning system to
Alexa might not be able to establish a connection, or switch on the launched its own assistant that the habits of the user.
radio because Alexa claims that there are no radio stations. interacts with many app.
Moments later, you have to stand in front of the 25-year old radio >Siri
and fix the ‘problem’ with the press of a button. What’s that about >Cortana Apple‘s standard assistant since
there being no radio stations again? Microsoft‘s answer to Siri, open for long. Meanwhile, the users wander
third party developers. to other offers.

Turn it up! Bring it down! Turn it up!

Children have less patience, in general, while the AI are infinitely
patient. Imagine a scenario where someone yells ‘‘Alexa, are you
stupid?” To which comes a calm answer: ‘‘I am continuously learning
and will be better informed next time.” This is how de-escalation
looks. There is no solace in the thought that the children will quickly
get acquainted with the Kafkaesque extensions of the computer
routine in this manner, even if you can train for its pitfalls.
‘‘I have noted that my children push the virtual assistant much
further than they would push a human,” said Avi Greengart,
technology analyst and a father of five from New Jersey. ‘‘Alexa never
says: ‘Now that was impolite’, or: ‘I do not like that you keep on
asking me the same questions again and again’.”
Because the system responds to spoken words, it is particularly
kid-friendly. Amazon didn’t exactly design its Digi-assistant as a
kid’s toy or learning aid, but that doesn’t change the fact that
operating it is literally child’s play. Even the youngest of them all can
easily operate the device, since no reading, writing or gestures are
required. They observe how their parents work with the small
computer and quickly learn that a sentence with ‘‘Alexa” at the
beginning activates the device, which obeys (almost always) what
one says to it.
It is advisable to be brief and precise while working with the voice
assistant, so that misunderstandings and malfunctions are avoided.
The first thing to do away with are the small pleasantries which
often enhance a conversation between humans. No time for ‘‘please”
or ‘‘thanks”.
This is not good news for parents who want to teach their kids
the basic rules of manners, because the inconspicuous device
doesn’t ascribe any importance to these practices. In another case,
Hunter Walk, a venture capitalist and a father from San Francisco,
finds the multiple usage possibilities of the virtual voice assistants
quite impressive. But, he also worries that Alexa will slowly
transform his four-year old daughter ‘‘into a raging asshole”, since
the virtual help itself tolerates the worst of manners. ‘‘It starts with
the fact that the activation command is ‘‘Alexa” and not ‘‘Alexa,
please...” he commented. And Alexa also does not expect any ‘‘Thank
you” before it is ready for the next task. Since children in this age
‘‘It may be that
machines will raise
us”
Prof. Dr. Birger P. Priddat
University of Witten/Herdecke, Depart-
ment of Economics and Philosophy
learn a lot through repetitions, the Amazon device tells them that
they will get what they want as long as they speak clearly.” Walk’s
idea is for a special children mode to be implemented, one that will
make Alexa respond only to known magic words.
Algorithms as a troll filter
Not everyone shares the fear that the world of tomorrow would
be populated only by soul-less voice machines and neglected brats.
The economics and philosophy professor Birger P. Priddat at the
University of Witten/Herdecke sees a change for a positive,
educational effect in the strong reason-relatedness of Alexa and its
counterparts. ‘‘We cannot work with the machines with emotional,
hateful, effervescent or even bland wishy-washy and babbling
statements. The algorithms will gently correct and question our
morale in a relentlessly reasonable manner,” he said. It could also be
the case that the machines can teach people how to be civilised.
Their algorithms would be in a position to reject hate talk simply
with a request to the sender to transfer all of it in the most civilized
manner possible. Like a home-teacher, AI would patiently rectify
everything that the kids talk in confused or broken languages. And
they would not need to thank anyone for it.

chip malaysia november 17 039

 feature

Endless Music
At 30 million songs and counting, streaming portals are particularly recommended for music and
audio books. The range of products, handling and functions are all important aspect to such portals
By Michael Eckstein

P
ractically all the music streaming services in the market charge
about RM15 or more for single-user and up to RM75 for multi-
user subscriptions. Unfortunately, it’s not easy for the user to
spot the differences between the various services. We wanted to zero in
on the differences, so we took a closer look at twelve full-programme
service providers. Note that we didn’t consider models like Amazon
Prime Music, which is only accessible to Amazon’s Prime customers and
offers a limited range of tracks.
Here, we standardised the best score in each test criterion to the
level of 100 and this managed to come to a resounding conclusion:
Spotify Premium is clearly the winner. The Swedish streaming pioneer
scored more points than its competitors in every assessment category.
curated playlists, as well as a re-engineered way to access offline
contents.
Random sample from a vast number of tracks
We used a mixture of the latest tracks, classics and somewhat exotic
numbers to assess the range of products provided by the individual
streaming services. Our list contained a total of 230 tracks, albums and
audio books, so the services that score well are the ones that generate
hits. All combined, the service providers offer a total of up to 150 million
tracks in their databases.
That’s enough material for users to be able to do nothing but listen
to music and audio books for the next few centuries. Nevertheless, our
Photo: iStockphoto/littlehenrabi

As a result, its overall score stands at 100. However, Deezer comes in at
a very close second, scoring just four points less than Spotify. A broad
range of service providers can be found, such as Google Play Music and
Aldi life. In particular, Juke and SoundCloud Go+ bring up the rear, but not
because they were completely unsatisfactory or unusable. In fact, Juke
has improved its app, but the new version was unavailable at the time
of the test. Among other things, the new version is supposed to offer
test list brings various hit ratios to light.
Spotify, Tidal and Google Play Music are particularly well-sorted. Only
a maximum of 13 musical tracks or albums are missing, so we rewarded
this performance with a score of 99 to 100 points. The other streaming
services exhibit more gaps, especially when it comes to albums. For
example, SoundCloud Go+ (which is at the very bottom of the table) fails
to find 26 out of 100 albums, as well as 24 individual tracks. All in all, a

040 november 17 chip malaysia

 feature

total of eight service providers managed to notch up a grade of ‘Very good’

in the product range category. When it came to audio books, none of the
service providers were able to do particularly well for themselves, with the
best ones offering only 17 out of 30 desired tracks in their packages.
Amazon and Juke bring up the rear in this particular category, as both
offer only three and two audio books respectively. Juke even charges an
exorbitant fee for every title.

Streaming’s no fun without comfort

Even the most extensive and diverse range of streaming products is no
fun at all when the operations begin to falter. That’s why we also
assessed the clarity of the user interface and customer-oriented
orientation aids in addition to the range of products. Apps, login variants,
payment options, sorting mechanisms and usable end devices are other
important criteria. In this regard, the service providers have to master the
balancing act of presenting their line-ups on various platforms in a clear
manner. This covers everything from small 5-inch smartphone displays Spotify is our winner. This streaming service is in the lead in every sub-category,
and TV apps, to scalable browser user interfaces on 27-inch monitors. The scoring in both the product range and comfort departments
sheer volume of material makes this a difficult task and the service
providers manage to perform this task with varying degrees of quality. All
the services make it necessary to go through a settling-in period in order
to be able to get a handle on the functions.
Two players dominate the streaming market
Spotify solves this problem quite well, by displaying interesting
Spotify has almost twice as many users as Apple Music, its strengthened
additional information regarding the results in a relatively small amount competitor, but the Swedes are suffering losses in spite of this
of space when you enter search queries. This gives the user an additional
incentive to dig deeper into the lavish collection of music. The marginal 50.0 mil.
column contains links to playlists, albums and more. Deezer also
manages to score well with its well-thought-out user interface and brisk
operations. Besides the two, we also liked French-based service Qobuz’s
interface.
Apple’s music app suffers from a frequent lack of list views. Although
cover miniatures are displayed, the more important track and album
27.0 mil.
Ċ
6.3 mil.
names are removed. This turns the selection process into a game of trial 4.5 mil.
1.0 mil.
and error. Then there’s Napster and its relative Aldi life, both which make 03/2017 06/2017 12/2016 12/2016 12/2016
their operations more complicated with overflowing and
compartmentalised screens, as well as ambiguous terminology. The
performance also leaves something to be desired, showing more stutters
and delays compared to the other services. Also, Qobuz and Tidal only
deliver lossless audio if an extra fee is paid. Once paid, users can
experience excellent sound quality if they happen to be using high-value
hi-fi systems or high-end headphones. However, it doesn’t make sense to
spend this extra money if you’re using devices like Bluetooth speakers,
simple headphones or ordinary speakers. This is because standard quality
is more than enough for audio output sources like that.
New offers can link login operations with social media services, but
credit cards, direct debits and PayPal transactions have already
established themselves as the main payment options. However, Apple
Music and Deezer also allow their users to settle their purchases using
mobile phone accounts. As for Spotify, Deezer, Google Play Music and
SoundCloud Go+, these four provide their services free of cost. However,
users will have to endure advertisements that are inserted between
tracks.
There are extra points for functions like cloud options, upload options,
playlists, social sharing options and recommendations. In addition, some
Just like Spotify, many streaming services offer the option of playing music in a
services allow you to use your own music files – like digitalised records or manner corresponding to mood or the situation
ripped CDs – to plug the gaps in the range of products on offer. Apple’s
 iTunes enables you to import your own media file that cannot be found in
Apple’s stock into the iCloud music media library. These can then be
accessed using the Apple Music app and also be synchronised to all kinds
of end-user devices. Spotify Premium, Deezer, Google Play Music and
Microsoft Groove also offer similar features.

Social integration has now become part of a good

Although the streaming services are always expanding their selection of audio books,
none of the services are able to really score well in this department yet
audio package
Content-sharing has now become part of the daily routine. As a result, we
also assessed how well the streaming portals are linked with social media
services. The issue at hand involves the tasks of creating playlists in a
collaborative fashion and sharing contents via links, Facebook or Twitter
– Spotify, Deezer, Qobuz, Napster, Aldi life and SoundCloud Go+ offer
particularly well-developed forms of these functions.
On the other hand, Apple Music (among others) continues to exhibit
weakness in this particular category.

Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3 Rank 4 Rank 5

An overview of music streaming
services Spotify Microsoft Tidal
Deezer Google Play Music
Premium Groove Premium
Overall 100 96.0 88.7 87.4 87.3
Range of products (50%) 100 97 99 91 100
Comfort (30%) 100 93 72 82 77
Functions (20%) 100 98 87 86 72
RANGE OF PRODUCTS
Monthly price: Individual subscription (in euros, ca.) 10 10 10 10 10
Monthly price: Family subscription (approx. RM)/user 14.90 14.90 • • 14.90
Testing phase (duration in days) 30 30 30 30 30
Number of tracks (ca.) according to service provider Over 30 million 43 million 40 million Not specified 46 million
Albums found (out of 100 test albums) in product range 93 89 92 79 92
Singles found (out of 100 test singles) in product range 96 94 95 95 96
Audio books found (out of 30 audio books) in product range 17 17 17 12 17
COMFORT
Social-Login (Facebook/Google+/Twitter) ӑ/•/• ӑ/ӑ/• •/ӑ/• •/•/• ӑ/•/ӑ
Payment: Credit card/PayPal/Direct debit/Prepaid ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/•/• ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/•/•
Other payment options • Klarna, mobile phone bill • Mobile phone bill •
Browser/PC line-up ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/• ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ
App: iOS/Android/Windows Phone/Windows 10 ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/•/• ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/•/•
Smart-TV: Samsung/Philips/LG/Sony ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/ӑ •/•/•/• •/•/•/• •/•/•/•
Streaming speakers: Fire TV/Apple TV/Chromecast ӑ/•/ӑ ӑ/•/ӑ •/•/• •/•/• •/•/•
Consoles: Xbox 360/Xbox One/PS3/PS4 •/•/ӑ/ӑ •/•/•/• •/•/•/• •/ӑ/•/• •/•/•/•
Supports audio hardware ӑ ӑ(very extensive) • • ӑ (extensive)
FUNCTIONS
Listening while offline/Uploading local songs ӑ/ӑ ӑͬӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/•
Free cloud memory for one’s own songs • No limit (Premium+) 50,000 tracks 3 hours •
Interruption-free track change* ӑ • ӑ ӑ ӑ
Music recommendations: Mood/Listening habits ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ
New releases/Latest charts ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ
User ratings (tracks/albums/playlists) •/•/• ӑ/•/• •/•/• •/•/• •/•/•
Genre radio/Artist streams/Adaptive radio ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/• ӑ/ӑ/•
Lyrics/Music videos/Concerts ӑ/•/ӑ ӑ/•/• •/•/• •/ӑ/• •/ӑ/ӑ
Artist information/Similar artists ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ
Adding albums/Creating playlists from selection/ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/•
Warnings for duplicate tracks
Sharing via link/Facebook/Twitter ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ
Creating playlists with friends ӑ ӑ • • •
Very good (100 – 90.0) Good (89.9 – 75.0) Satisfactory (74.9 – 60.0) Adequate (59.9 – 45.0) Not recommended (44.9 – 0)
Not recommended (44.9 – 0) ӑ Yes • No *For concept albums

042 november 17 chip malaysia

 Almost all the services can recommend music on the basis of moods
and listening habits. These functions make it easier to handle the
versatile range of content and enable you to broaden your musical
horizons. Unfortunately, Qobuz attaches no importance whatsoever to
such features, while Juke and SoundCloud Go+ are only partially
compatible with them.
Many people frequently discover interesting artists and wants to
know more about them. In such a situation, extensive information and
recommendations pointing towards similar performers can be quite
helpful. All the services except for Amazon offer this, though Juke and
SoundCloud Go+ also offer only curtailed versions of it. In addition to
providing music videos for several artists, Apple Music also displays lyrics.
Other useful feature are genre radios and artist streams that help users
to discover something new. Almost all the service providers have built in
such functions, but Qobuz is the sole exception to this rule. In the final
analysis, the streaming service that offers the smallest selection of tracks Deezer uses a slender and reduced app to provide comfortable access to its extensive
range of products
ends up being the winner. Quality really does trump quantity!

Rank 6 Rank 7 Rank 8 Rank 9 Rank 10 Rank 11 Rank 12

Amazon Music Apple
Qobuz Napster Aldi life Juke SoundCloud Go+
Unlimited Music
84.1 82.3 80.0 76.5 75.0 69.9 69.3
90 92 90 88 88 85 77
71 67 84 56 51 69 61
89 81 47 79 79 34 64

10 10 10 10 10 10 10
~15 15 • • • • •
30 90 15 30 30 30 30
Over 50 million Over 40 million 40 million Over 40 million Over 40 million 46 million 150 million
87 90 86 76 76 85 74
92 90 85 89 89 85 76
3 8 16 16 16 2 6

•/•/• •/•/• ӑ/•/• ӑ/•/• ӑ/•/• ӑ/•/• ӑ/ӑ/•

ӑ/•/ӑ/• ӑ/ӑ/•/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/• ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/• ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/0 ӑ/ӑ/•/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/•
• Mobile phone bill • • • • •
ӑ/ӑ •/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/• ӑ/• ӑ/ӑ
ӑ/ӑ/•/• ӑ/ӑ/•/• ӑ/ӑ/•/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/•/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/•/• ӑ/ӑ/•/• ӑ/ӑ/•/•
•/•/•/• •/•/•/• •/•/•/• •/•/•/• •/•/•/• ӑ/ӑ/ӑ/ӑ •/•/•/•
ӑ/•/• •/ӑ/• •/•/ӑ •/ӑ/ӑ •/ӑ/ӑ •/•/ӑ •/•/ӑ
•/•/•/• •/•/•/• •/•/•/• ӑ/•/•/• ӑ/•/•/• •/•/•/• •/ӑ/•/•
ӑ ӑ • ӑ ӑ(extensive) • ӑ

ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/• ӑ/• ӑ/• ӑ/• ӑ/•

250 tracks 100,000 tracks • • • • •
ӑ ӑ • ӑ ӑ • ӑ
ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ •/• ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/• •/ӑ
ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ •/ӑ
ӑ/•/• •/•/• •/•/• •/•/• •/•/• •/•/• ӑ/ӑ/ӑ
ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ •/•/• ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/• ӑ/ӑ/•
ӑ/•/• ӑ/ӑ/ӑ •/•/• •/•/• •/•/• •/•/• •/•/•
•/• ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ •/ӑ •/ӑ
ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/•/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/• ӑ/•/• ӑ/•/• ӑ/•/• •/•/ӑ
ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/•/• ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ ӑ/ӑ/ӑ •/•/• ӑ/ӑ/ӑ
• • ӑ ӑ ӑ • ӑ

chip malaysia november 17 043

 feature

The Future Of
Windows 10
Ransomware protection, eye control, and integrated Linux are alternatives – this and a lot more will
be included in the Redstone 3 update that is set to be released in this quarter
By Andreas Th. Fischer

Dependence on Google and Facebook

W
ith Windows 10 and the leadership of Satya Nadella,
Microsoft has bid farewell to a business model used to
its full extent over a decade. Instead of releasing a big
new operating system version every couple of years and selling it
to users at a high price, the Redmond company is jumping on the
‘‘Software as a Service” bandwagon. In the future, Windows will
function as a service that is continuously updated. To start, the
manufacturer also presented the new operating system over a
longer period of time in order to achieve as extensive a market
Similar to Google’s search engine, which is also more or less
unobtrusively updated, Windows 10 will get two big updates in a
year. With these, Microsoft upgrades functions and brings the
operating system up to date. There are also monthly patch
packages, which fix small errors and closes security gaps.
Last year in 2016, the Anniversary Update (the so-called
Redstone 1 update) was released, bringing with it a new Start
menu, an offline mode for the Windows Defender as well as
Photos: Tobii AB

penetration as possible. extensions for Cortana and the Edge browser, among other things.
The Creators Update (Redstone 2) followed this spring, improving
gaming performance and providing a night mode, reviewed data

044 november 17 chip malaysia

 feature

protection settings as well as the new Paint 3D application. Now, the

Fall Creators Update (Redstone 3) is around the corner and we expect Functions and Considered to be
Is outdated and is
it to launch in the last quarter of this year. Apps, which Function or App elimi- not developed
nated
Despite several announcements, Microsoft does not always Microsoft would further
manage to complete all planned functions at the promised date. like to eliminate 3D-Builder-App X
While the Fall Creators Update should cover, amongst other things, With the Fall Creators Enhanced
Update, Microsoft will not Mitigation
the so-called timeline that has been announced for quite some time X
Experience
only add new functions to Toolkit (EMET)
now, there’s no guarantee that Microsoft will deliver on time. Windows 10. It will also Paint X
take the opportunity ‘‘clear
Outlook Express X
Plagued with delays out” the operating system.
Reader-App X
The timeline should contain applications and contents that a user
SysKey X
has used in the past – across all devices. This means that a task that
has been started should be seamlessly carried forward on another
computer. Amazon’s Whispersync synchronisation service also
works in a similar fashion, but is only limited to e-books and audio
books. This would have been a practical feature for many users, but
unfortunately it will not be included in Redstone 3. The same applies
to the planned Cloud Clipboard, which was also not completed in
time and had to be postponed. Admittedly, data protection
specialists had misgivings about both functions, as they require
Microsoft to receive even more data about the user and his/her PC
usage.
In the last few months, the company has already released
several pre-versions, which should give an insight into Redstone 3
and what can be used for troubleshooting. Microsoft works with
different version numbers and complete updates receive a number, Once the Fall Creators Update is done, you can determine the exact bandwidth you
would like to provide for Windows Patches
which comprises the year and the month of the release. The Creators
Update thus has the version number 1703, as it was released in
March of the year 2017. In addition to that are the build numbers,
which Microsoft numbers consecutively. The current preview version
at the time of writing is version 16257. If you would like to get an
earlier preview of the builds, you can register to the Windows Insider
Programme for free. The details for the same can be found in the box
on the following page.

Less is more
However, Microsoft will not only add new functions and Apps with
the upcoming update. The manufacturer has also deleted a few
items, including the safety tool EMET. Redmond also announced its
desire to stop developing MS Paint further and to remove Windows
The Exploit protection that has been announced should also prevent malware attacks,
10 sooner or later. However, this news created a major backlash over which the virus scanner does not yet have a signature for
the Internet that Microsoft had to reconsider its decision. As a result,
Paint continues to live on in the Windows Store and can be
reinstalled from there, if so desired. For a summary, we’ve included a
table at the top right of this page to display some functions and App
that Microsoft would like to eliminate as well.
There isn’t much to see yet when it comes to the Fluent Design
feature announced in the spring. Although there is an option in the
settings to switch on transparency effects, it is currently deactivated.
The ARM version of Windows 10 has also been rather quiet, but the
first tablets with it are supposed to appear in the next few months
as well.
Moving on, there are a few functions that we know will definitely
make it for the next update. To test them out, you obviously need to
get the latest build from Windows Insider. Among the features, The preview to Fluent Design also includes a switch to activate the transparency
Windows users with a rather slow Internet connection will be effects, it is still greyed out

chip malaysia november 17 045

 feature
Those who wish can, upon updating to Redstone 3, operate Windows 10 without the
use of hands and only with the eyes, from this fall from
You can download the preview versions of Windows 10 after registering for the
Windows Insider Programme
Windows Insider Programme
If you would like to demo upcoming
improvements for Windows 10,
simply register for the Windows
Insider Programme. You can then
download the newest preview
versions and try out all the
functions introduced in this article
by yourself. Theoretically, even your
existing Windows 10 version can be
used for this purpose. However, we
recommend the use of a virtual
machine (VM), because the preview
versions provided by Microsoft are
intended for testing and still
contain errors. Therefore, it is better
to use a virtualisation software
such as VirtualBox and install
Windows 10 in it. First, create a
new Windows account on signup.
live.com, which will only be used for
the preview versions.
046 november 17 chip malaysia
Download Windows 10 as ISO file,
install the operating system in
VirtualBox and update it. Next, go
to the programme and click on
‘‘Start l Settings l Update and Safety
l Windows Insider Programme”,
then click on the ‘‘First Steps” and
‘‘Link account” buttons. Enter the
data for your test account and
register yourself. Select the point
‘‘Quick display” as ‘‘Interval” and
click twice on ‘‘Confirm” and finally
on ‘‘Restart now”. As soon as the
VirtualBox restarts, call ‘‘Windows
Update” and click on ‘‘Look for
updates”. Windows 10 will now
download the current preview
version and install it. Note that the
VM will restarts multiple times
during the process.
pleased with several new options, such as the ability to limit the
bandwidth available for updates. Under ‘‘Start l Settings l Update and
Safety l Extended Options l Transmission Optimisation l Extended
Options”, you can set the maximum percentage of bandwidth that
will be used when downloading or uploading Windows patches, once
the Fall Creators Update is done. Note that all steps and ‘click-paths’
described in this article could change, as Microsoft is currently
working intensively on the Preview versions.
New safety functions in Windows 10
It has already been mentioned that the safety software EMET has
been axed by Redmond. It is replaced by a new safeguard against
exploits, which is integrated with the Fall Creators Update in the
Windows Defender Security Centre. In order to configure the exploit
safeguard, double-click on the shield icon in the lower right corner of
the system tray and then to the left of the folder icon ‘‘App &
Browser control”. Scroll down and click on ‘‘Settings for Exploit
protection”. All essential protective measures are already activated
here by default.
Windows 10 will receive one more protective function that will
protect files from blackmail Trojans. It is called ‘‘Folder Access
Monitor” and is also present in the Windows Defender Security
Centre. To open it, click left on the shield icon ‘‘Virus & threat
protection” and then on ‘‘Settings for virus and threat protection”.
Scroll slightly down and activate the function for ‘‘Folder Access
Monitor”. With ‘‘Protected Folders”, you can now determine which
folders Windows should safeguard against modifications in the
future. With the ‘‘Allow App through monitored folder access” option,
add programmes that you allow to modify the files in your protected
folders. All other applications that desire access to it are
automatically blocked by Windows.
Late love for Linux
With the Fall Creators Update, Microsoft also wants to remove third-
party Linux support. Instead, all testers can download and install the
Insider version Ubuntu, OpenSuse Leap 42 and the Suse Linux
Enterprise Server 12 directly from the Windows Store; Fedora is still
to come. This integration is primarily aimed at developers, as
Microsoft wants to enable them to programme directly under
Windows Software for Linux and to immediately test their software.
However, even end-users can install a few systems and use them
under Windows. However, no graphical interfaces are available by
default. By all accounts, though, they are relatively easy to install
and can be used on Windows 10.
Furthermore, the Fall Creators Update will have other
improvements. For example, the Task Manager of Windows 10
should be able to display the memory usage of the graphics card and
its capacity. Apart from that, the pocket calculator now has a
currency convertor, which uses current rates from the Internet. With
Version 16257, Microsoft has also integrated mouse control using
eye tracking. In conjunction with the use of the Eye Tracker 4C by
Tobii, the mouse pointer can be controlled without using the hands.
All in all, the fall update for Windows 10 includes several useful
improvements and bearable cuts. However, experience shows that
Microsoft does not roll out new versions to users immediately, but
only little by little.
 feature
Amount of newly developed malware

Brutal Cyber every day

390,000

Attacks
Between trojans, DDoS and viruses, hardly a day
The computer worm MyDoom holds the
record for the fastest propagation rate to
date. In 2004, it was present in every
twelfth Email and slowed down the
Internet worldwide by
goes by without cyberattacks against companies or 10 percent
individuals By Patrick Hannemann
Estimated number of members of the civil
Red Hacker Alliance in China
The amount of money lost due to Internet Traffic volume capability of a DDoS attack 100,000
crimes in the USA in 2001 is by the malware Mirai from 2016
17.8 Million US Dollars 620 GB/s Hours of community service completed by
Robert Morris, the developer of the first
The amount of money lost due to Internet Distribution of attacks under Windows computer worm in 1988
crimes in the USA in 2016 is according to the types of malware in the 400
1.45 Billion US Dollars year 2016
Malware detection rate for Windows
The most frequently attacked applications Viruses devices
are browsers and Android systems, overall 49.2 percent 77.22 percent
75 percent
General Trojans Malware detection rate for Android devices
Number of devices infected through 30.3 percent 5.83 percent
selected malware
Worms 52 percent
‘‘I Love You” from 2000 is 11.5 percent of all malware are distributed over the
50 million Internet with the domain ending ‘‘.com”
Scripts
‘‘Sasser” from 2004 is 4.32 percent
The smallest virus family to date is called
1 Million ‘‘Mini” or ‘‘Trivial” and is made up of, in case
Backdoors
0.87 percent of some variants,
‘‘Storm” from 2007 is 13 Bytes
10 million
Ransomware
‘‘Conficker” from 2009 is 0.87 percent Loot by the ransomware WannaCry
2.9 Million 700,000 US Dollars
Number of all the malware programs
Amount of money that Microsoft invested discovered by 2005 Ransom money that a South Korean web
in 2003 for tackling malware programs in 1.7 million hoster paid in June after a ransomware
US dollars attack
5 million Total Number of discovered malware in 1 Million US Dollars
2017
600 million Portion of ransomware victims who pay
ransom money but do not get back their
data
20 percent
Illustrationen: CHIP

The price for invaluable data

Particularly perfidious is the ransomware, a malware which demands ransom from the user in
exchange for the hostage - data. Thus, users, on an average, would pay:
($1 = approximately RM 4.24)
Great Britain
Denmark
568 US-$ 446 US-$
USA
Germany France
350 US-$ 227 US-$ 203 US-$

Source: Bitdefender Symantec

chip malaysia november 17 047

 feature

Don’t Scrap,
Upgrade Instead
Many devices age or break down after two years, and it doesn’t make sense to repair them.
However, a little effort can help you avoid making a new purchase
By Martin Jager and Christoph Schmidt

W
henever a piece of hardware becomes a few years old, the
manufacturers usually want the customer to replace it by
buying a new item that’s expensive. However, with just a
little effort, you can ensure that your PCs, mobile devices and
accessories do not suffer a premature death. This would be good for
both your wallet and the environment. In theory, desktop PCs can be
expanded and upgraded, although the process is usually more difficult
for laptops. However, with both desktop or laptops, Windows 10 sets an
artificial expiry date for the hardware. Once this date is reached,
Windows 10 refuses to install updates. You might also find that no
drivers are available. This is already known to happen to things like
older graphics cards, certain CPUs and old scanners or TV tuner cards.
However, there are certain software tricks that will enable you to keep
these devices alive for a few more years.
On the other hand, mobile phones and tablets have lives that are
shorter and the hardware associated with these devices are enhanced
quite quickly. Furthermore, using these devices on the go subjects them
to risk of accidents and a higher degree of wear and tear. What’s more,
the manufacturers also scrimp on software updates, making it so that
older devices tend to have poor security and functionality. However, you
can extend the service life by 50 to 100 percent with the help of simple
hardware upgrades, or the somewhat more complicated use of custom-
ROM firmware.
Keeping Laptops And
PCs Running For The
Long Term
One of three points is usually the factor that allegedly makes PC
hardware and accessories ready for the scrap press. First one is when
the computer starts feeling too sluggish, while the other two is when a
hardware defect puts a device out of commission, or when further use is
prevented due to software/driver problems. Our step-by-step
explanation reveals how these difficulties can often be rectified in a
relatively simple manner.

048 november 17 chip malaysia

 feature

Upgrade to SSD and add more RAM

When it comes to CPUs, a seven-year-old midrange PC is fast enough for
regular modern tasks. If that isn’t the case, it probably means that the
device doesn’t have enough RAM, or the magnetic hard drive is holding
the system back. When it comes to laptops and desktop PCs, both these
problems can be solved quite easily. Let’s consider the RAM scenario first.
A modern version of Windows can barely operate in a useful manner if
you have less than 4GB of RAM. It could run at full capacity even if you’re
just using a browser to browse through multiple websites or have
multiple active programmes, all of which can cause delayed response
times and constant hard drive accesses.
Before you upgrade the system, you should use the [Win] + [Pause] Once they have been upgraded to an 8GB RAM, even older computers gain the ability
to perform all sorts of daily routine tasks with ease
key combination to find out how much RAM has been installed, and how
much of it is ‘usable’. If there is a difference between the two values, it can
usually be put down to the fact that computers that do not have
dedicated graphics cards have to use up to 512MB as VRAM. Obviously,
this chunk of memory cannot be used as RAM. The same system
properties window also indicates whether the installed version of
Windows is a 64-bit or 32-bit version. In practice, the latter shouldn’t use
more than 3.5GB of RAM.

Take a look before upgrading

The CPU-Z diagnosis tool helps you find out which memory you need for
the upgrade. You can find the relevant information the ' SPD” tab by using
the drop-down menu in the upper left portion to select the available slots
(RAM slots) one after the other. The parameters of the respective memory
module will then be displayed on the right. With that information, you’ll be Before performing RAM-related and other upgrades, you can use the CPU-Z tool to
obtain important information about the hardware that is to be upgraded
able to easily decide how to proceed with your upgrade. When doing so,
you should search for one or two modules that are compatible with the
parameters that have been displayed ("Module Size" and "Max
Bandwidth") for the modules that have already been installed. You can
search through large online IT shops or IT-related price comparison sites
to search for the "Part Number" displayed by CPU-Z. If all the slots are
occupied by (excessively small) modules, then it’s better to replace the
existing RAMs installed with larger ones. You can find a replacement by
entering your notebook’s or desktop motherboard’s model into the search
feature on the website of a RAM manufacturer like Corsair, Crucial or
Kingston. It should also be noted that these websites will usually also
allow you to order the modules.
The installation procedure is one of the simpler hardware related
operations. For desktop PCs, all you have to do is open the slots’ clips or
just remove the old module and insert the new one, ensuring that the The support websites of business laptop manufacturers provide information about the
devices and the available replacement parts
contacts are properly aligned. As for laptops with their smaller SO-DIMM
modules, you can usually get access to the slots under an easy-to-open
bottom flap. Once the screws or locks have been removed, these modules
Photos: Simon Kirsch (lead story); CHIP Studios (2)

can be removed easily, so you can install new modules instead. During
the next boot-up, the system will automatically detect the extra RAM
capacity. Again, you can verify this by using CPU-Z.

An SSD makes any system get a move on

Using magnetic hard drives as system drives is a tad outdated, since they
slow down the system during boot procedures, program launches and all
data access operations. Switching over to an SSD can solve the problem
for a few years. When it comes to older computers, SATA SSDs are the
only things that can be considered and they’re also relatively affordable.
Online shops offer the right kind of replacement batteries for customary laptops – The
capacities are often higher than that of the original version
 feature
Adapters can be broken or lost quite quickly, but there are clones and universal mains
adapters with suitable adapters
A laptop with a broken-down display can be used with an external monitor, or as a
living room PC that is connected to the TV set
VueScan often makes it possible to keep using old scanners that are not supported by
new Windows versions due to a lack of drivers
Even if the situation involves old TV cards, you can get them to work with software
that operate under Windows 7 or 10 – provided you can get the drivers to work
Manufacturers like Samsung, Crucial and Sandisk usually provide
migration software as well. You should first connect the SSD to your
computer as an additional drive, then use the software to transfer your
system onto the SSD. Once this has been done, go ahead and install the
SSD in place of the hard drive. For a desktop PC, you should use a SATA
port to establish the connection. If you’re using a laptop, you should
connect the SSD with the help of an external USB casing (which must be
purchased separately) for 2.5-inch SATA drives, which will also allow you
to keep using the old hard drive once you’ve completed the migration
process.
Power failures are frequent but easy to rectify
Adapters and batteries can break down quickly. Fortunately, it’s quite
easy to diagnose the problem and repair the damage: If a laptop comes to
an absolute standstill after activation, but keeps running via the mains
using the adapter (this can happen if the battery has been removed), it
probably means that the battery has broken down. If that’s the case, you
should use Amazon or eBay to run a search for the laptop’s model name
and ‘battery’. If a replacement is too expensive or unavailable, you should
go ahead and continue using the computer as a desktop replacement.
This also applies to situations in which the laptop display is no longer in
commission. Depending on the model, the display and its hinges can be
removed (e.g. Lenovo Thinkpads), and the lower section can be connected
to a monitor or TV set. Should those be possible, then the PC can at least
be used as an extra. You can install software like Kodi and MediaPortal
and a wireless keyboard/mouse, turning it into a HTPC.
If the laptop can’t even remain functional with the help of an adapter,
you will have to start looking for a replacement; we advise against any
and all attempts to open and repair the device. When it comes to the
usual computers, you can find what you’re looking for on Amazon or eBay.
If you can’t find a laptop-specific model, a universal adapter with
interchangeable connectors would be the second-best option. In that
case, the universal adapter must supply the (correct) voltage and (at the
very least) current as your original one. Always make sure that the
voltage that is set doesn’t exceed the originals.
Accessories with software and driver problems
Peripheral devices have already had to deal with situations in which there
were no drivers for new Windows versions. As a result, many scanners
– e.g. the Nikon Coolscan slide scanner – were only supported by the
manufacturers up to Windows XP. Since no better slide scanners have
been offered after that, these devices are sadly destined for the scrap
heap. However, the manufacturers of unofficial drivers and software can
provide assistance.
In case of scanners, the options are ‘SilverFast’ (www.silverfast.com),
which exhausts all the features of high-value photo and slide scanners,
and ‘VueScan’ (www.hamrick.com), which tries to support as many old
scanners as possible.
Third-party software is also available for inexpensive old hardware.
For example, if you’re dealing with TV cards and sticks, you can go for
‘DVBViewer’ (www.dvbviewer.com), which features several functions and
adjustment options. This tool is also compatible with Windows 10. In
general, many older devices are more compatible with Linux than they are
with newer Windows versions. As a result, this makes it a good idea to
boot into Linux every now and then with the help of either a USB stick or a
dual-boot installation. This could, for example, be done for the purposes
 feature

of scanning. Ubuntu Linux is a particularly good choice, because of its

broad hardware support capabilities. Furthermore, it’s also well-suited to System requirements
be used as a substitute operating system for outdated versions (XP). Windows 10 specifies a service life for hardware, when updates will no
Tablets featuring Intel’s Clover Trail CPUs (Intel Atom Z2520 – 2580, longer be provided after it passes. Windows 10 cannot be installed unless
Z2760) were delivered with Windows 8/8.1. Those who have updated the following minimum requirements are fulfilled:
such devices to Windows 10 have been left out in the cold ever since the
Win10 32 Bit Win10 64 Bit
‘Creator’s Update’, because that was when Windows declared that the life
Processor 1 Gigahertz
span of the CPUs was at an end and discontinued the update service. It is
either difficult or impossible to install Linux on these Intel tablets (if this is Graphics card Nvidia from GT4xx onwards, AMD from HD5xxx onwards
to be done, it should be done in conjunction with a USB keyboard, so that RAM 1 GB 2 GB
you will be able to operate the installer). However, if you do manage to do
HDD capacity 16 GB 20 GB
this, the tablet will last until the end of its life, all while featuring the latest
software.

Smartphones And
Tablets
Smartphones and tablets definitely can’t be updated and upgraded as
comfortably and extensively as PCs. Their usage profile is one of the
reasons for this: In addition to being light and mobile, they are also
supposed to be protected against all kinds of wear and tear, as well as
being high-performance devices in spite of all this. However, individual
usage patterns also factor in. For example, those who focus solely on
design and performance - who make purchases without considering Any PC with a multi-core CPU and 1GB RAM is fast enough for Ubuntu, which comes
with long-term updates
repairability or further development - have no right to complain if they are
forced to visit the checkout counter repeatedly every three years.
In this regard, the technological development curve has bottomed out to
such an extent that a smartphone that is three or even four years old is
perfectly capable of handling most intended uses. Of course, this is
provided you don’t want to take pictures for your next art book or shoot a
full-fledged feature film.
A used-up battery is often the only thing that stands in the way of
continued use. Ever since Android 6 was released, you can even use a
microSD card if the device doesn’t have enough memory for large apps.
While there are many manufacturers that have stopped providing
security updates, many of these old smartphones can run LineageOS,
which is a freely-available alternative operating system. One pleasant
side effect of this particular operating system is the fact that you will be
Ever since Android 6 (Marshmallow) was released, it has been possible to format micro
able to gain full control of the device, get rid of bloatware and get by
SD cards as internal memories and install apps directly
without a Google account.
Even if you cannot find a fresh battery or new operating system for an
aged device, certain accessories will make it possible for you to turn the
device into an e-mail typewriter, kitchen surfing station or car navigation
system.

Proceed carefully when replacing batteries

Lithium-ion batteries can only cope with a limited number of charge
cycles. This limit is usually reached after a maximum of three years.
Except for a mere handful of exceptions (like LG’s commendable attempt
Photos: CHIP Studios (2)

with exchangeable batteries for the G5), the casing always has to be
opened in order to replace the used-up battery.
When it comes to older models like the Samsung Note 4 or the LG
Nexus 5, you can do this quite easily with your fingernail. However, it
would be more advisable to use a screwdriver featuring a Philips, Torx or
Earlier Android versions allow you to manually move many apps to the SD card.
Unfortunately, iPhones don’t offer this option
 feature

Pentalobe profile and a flexible guitar pick to open clip fasteners or

With certain devices like iPhones, the adhesive beneath the battery can be removed
using straps. Pay attention and avoid damaging any ribbon cables or antennas by
accident
An enterprising community of developers has placed convenient rootkits at our
disposal, which in turn even makes it possible for laymen to unlock their mobile
phones
remove ribbon cable connectors. The path leading to the interior becomes
somewhat more complicated if the device comes with extra features like
‘waterproof’ or a relevant IP certification. The rear wall of such a device
tends to be 'pasted' down and such adhesive seals need to be softened up
by heating it, before it can be removed. Experience has shown that this
can be done quite well using the heat compresses that are heated in a
microwave oven; these can be obtained at pharmacies. You can also heat
it through careful use of a hot air gun. Later, when you need to replace the
battery, the rear wall can be re-sealed using either an all-purpose
adhesive or adhesive seals that have been designed for such purposes.
Valuable instructions for opening several models can be found online at
websites like www.ifixit.com, which will also specify the kind of tools you
will need for the procedure.
You should be very careful when you’re removing the rear wall, so that
you won’t tear off any induction coils or aerials that may be fastened to
the wall. What’s more, the battery is usually pasted firmly within the
casing. But for certain devices (like the iPhones), special straps are
positioned on the battery instead, enabling you to remove the adhesive
beneath the battery. In order to avoid short circuits, you should ensure
that you use a plastic tool to deal with the battery. You should also make
sure you don’t crease it too much, because you will often find that the
connection cable is hidden beneath a protective plate or other printed
circuit boards. Apple in particular is only too glad to use screws of varying
lengths to fasten these items, so you should pay close attention to the
proper locations of the different screws. The cable plug might also have
been secured with a strap that can only be noticed upon close inspection.
An old battery also represents a fire hazard due to the risk of exhaustive
discharge, which is why you should dispose of it properly as soon as
possible. When you acquire a new battery, you should ensure that it’s a
battery that fits comfortably into the provided space.
These days, you can buy just about any battery over the internet.
Unfortunately, this also means that the range of options includes
counterfeit goods. The safest thing to do would be to rely on a major
electronics shipper. If you’re only going to be able to hit paydirt with
Amazon or eBay, you should at least give yourself an overview of the
market, which in turn will help you determine the average costs of such
special batteries. Furthermore, you should also ensure that you don’t
simply go for the cheapest offer you can find. In any event, stay away
from used products; there’s simply no way of knowing whether such
batteries already contains micro short circuits caused by falls or water
damage.

The free LineageOS keeps your mobile device (here: Nexus 7) up to date and also gives Transfer apps and data to an SD Card
you full control over your apps
Unfortunately, all mobile devices contain firmly-soldered device memories

This is doable Manufacturer/ Apple Apple Samsung LG Huawei P8 HTC ONE Apple Samsung Nexus
Model iPhone 5c iPhone 6c Galaxy S6 Nexus 5 M8 iPad Note 12.2 7
Rows 1 – 3 indicate the
degree to which popular Open with: Plectrum Plectrum Plectrum Fingernail Plectrum Plectrum Plectrum Plectrum Plectrum
smartphones and tablets
can be opened. The rows
Screws: P2, PH00 P2, PH00 PH00 PH00 PH00 PH00 PH00 PH00 •
below that tell you which Bonding surfaces: • Easy ӑ • • Front panel ӑ Easy •
upgrades are possible
Battery change ӑ ӑ ӑ ӑ ӑ ӑ ӑ ӑ ӑ
SD-Card • • ӑ • ӑ ӑ • ӑ •
Alternat. OS • • ӑ ӑ ӑ ӑ • ӑ ӑ
ӑരYes • No
 feature

that cannot be expanded. Smartphones and tablets with an SD card slot

are the only devices that allow you to expand the memory.
This is why we now have to say goodbye to all iPhone and iPad users,
because when it comes to these devices, Apple is unwilling to provide
extra memory since it also opens up the way for users to install an
alternate operating system.
On the other hand, even Android 2.2 ‘Froyo’ allowed users to transfer
apps to an external SD card. Although Android 4.4.2 ‘KitKat’ did
temporarily eliminate this option, it became available once again with the
release of Android 5.0 ‘Lollipop’. To add on to that, users have even been
allowed to install apps directly on an SD card ever since Android 6.0
‘Marshmallow’ was released. You should go ahead and use this option for The task of opening a mobile phone usually calls for tools like screwdrivers, spatulas
and cold/warm compresses
all memory-intensive applications like navigation systems, music and
video operations and e-books. If the app itself doesn’t want to permit the
transfer, at least move the path for application data. If this has not
already happened during installation, you can make the relevant changes Basic equipment Tool Purpose
afterwards under "Settings | Application manager | App info | Memory”. With the tools that we’re
SIM pin or Removing SIM and SD
recommending and a few paperclip cards; hardware reset
This menu path can also vary depending on the Android version.
household utensils, you will
Plectrum Disengaging clip
even be able to open a connections
Alternative operating systems smartphone that is
Specific
Last summer, Cyanogen Inc. failed in its goal of commercially exploiting waterproof Unscrewing
screwdrivers
Cyanogen OS, its alternative version of Android. And since last June, Spatulas Levering tasks
Canonical has not been providing any more security updates for its mobile Gripping, removing
Tweezers
Ubuntu Touch. Against this backdrop, the scenario looks bleak for adhesive residues
alternatives to Google’s Android. Thankfully, an enterprising open-source Cutting tool Cutting, shaving
community of programmers has set itself up on the internet, a Hot gel cushions Softening adhesives
community that has been driving the development of CyanogenMod as
LineageOS on a semi-voluntary basis (https://wiki.lineageos.org/
devices/). The group now offers versions for many popular smartphone
and tablet models, with Google’s own Nexus smartphones leading the
way. These versions can be downloaded for free and the number is going
up every day. In some cases (such as with the Nexus 7), users might even
enjoy an increase in speed. For example, a four-and-a-half-year-old
Samsung Galaxy S4 becomes fully up-to-date when it’s combined with
LineageOS and a 64GB memory card.
Photos: iStockphoto/georgeclerk (navigation system); CHIP Studios (Nexus 7, tool, keyboard); iFixit (hands)

Now, the task of rooting a smartphone or tablet and installing a new

operating system isn’t exactly child’s play. After all, the manufacturers
don’t intend for it to happen. Nevertheless, such operations are no longer
the exclusive domain of computer geeks. If you study the numerous
instructions on the internet and persevere, even non-nerds should be
able to do it too.
Bluetooth keyboards (e.g. Logitech K480) and mice can turn old tablets into light and
portable typewriters
Second career for mobile devices
If your mobile device doesn’t even allow you to replace the battery
anymore, you could use an external powerbank or a car battery to ensure
that the device retains a certain amount of charge. Peripheral specialists
like Logitech offer Android-compatible keyboards and mice that can be
connected via Bluetooth, making it both possible and easy for you to use
mobile devices that have been placed on desks. In addition, all popular
printer manufacturers now offer apps that can be used to print things via
WiFi, while apps like ES File Explorer make it possible to use the network
to move data. There are also universal car device cradles that allow you to
fasten the devices in your vehicle, while a 12-V-to-USB adapter provides
the required power. With all these options available to users, old hands
continue to have a variety of potential uses. If you could get them to work,
then there’s really no good reason to acquire a brand-new device.
When attached to the cigarette lighter port, an age-worn smartphone turns into a
useful navigation system or multimedia player
 feature

Closing The Gaps

A security test of antivirus tools revealed that the tools themselves have some blatant
vulnerabilities. Here’s how you can protect yourself despite that
By Fabian von Keudell

T
he security experts from Symantec count 13 million new your PC, but also secure your mobile devices -regardless if it runs
malware variants per month. Antivirus systems (AV) should on Android or iOS.
be protected from them, but it is apparent that the protection
systems themselves are vulnerable and susceptible to attacks. We
tested these antivirus programmes and the results are a cause for
concern. In some cases, the transmission methods are not secured
How To Protect Your
Antivirus Software
Photo: iStockphoto/Filograph

enough, while in others there are developers that use unsafe

programme libraries. This article aims to show you which AV
softwares are worth using, how do the protection mechanisms of
the programmes work and also explain how to configure the
software. Even when you are using a good antivirus, you should
also use software from third parties. This way, you not only protect
The latest antivirus applications protect your computer, not only
against known threats but also Zero Day attacks. For hackers,
successful attacks on AV software are the ideal way. This is
because when they take over the application, they also get access

054 november 17 chip malaysia

 feature

to the PC system and can deactivate the monitoring function of the

antivirus software. To combat this, developers of protection
Only some AV developers protect their software
programs use three anti-hacker functions.
The extensive analysis of AV test shows that all developers, by far, do not
use certificates or protective mechanism. In terms of improvements, there
Secure download connection has been more than compared to previous years.
The first line of defense starts on the website of the developer. Since
AV developers are no longer distributing their software via DVDs,
they prefer to provide a download code in the packaging. The
advantage here is that the user can always download the latest

Secure download via https

Executable programe files
version. Some providers distribute the software via a secure https-

Executable program files

connection. The data bus is encrypted in this manner, which reduces

(signed/unsigned/

(signed/unsigned/
invalid certificate)

invalid certificate)
the chances of file manipulation. However, there are always some
Average use of
black sheep who rely on unsafe http-connection, allowing attackers protective mechanism in

with 32-Bit

with 64-Bit
percent
to capture the data stream and slip an unsafe, manipulated version (ASLR and DEP)
of the software to the user. Various tests have discovered that
Product 2017 2015 2014
several providers have this problem (see table on the right). Avira Antivirus Pro 15 168/0/1 5/0/0 ӑ 100 100 99,7
Confronted with this result, the companies have pledged to improve Bitdefender Internet Security 17 88/0/0 246/0/0 ӑ 100 87,9 89,2
and will look to transfer data in an encrypted manner in the near ESET Internet Security 10 2/0/0 81/0/0 ӑ 100 100 100
future. Kaspersky Internet Security 17.0 244/0/0 14/0/0 ӑ 100 100 96,4
G Data Internet Security 25.3 84/0/0 42/0/0 ӑ 98,8 99,4 97,7
Updates only with signature F-Secure SAFE 14.1 265/1/0 29/0/0 ӑ 100 99,5 93
The virus programs use certificates that aren’t systematic (see right), MicroWorld eScan IS Suite 14 139/2/0 25/0/0 • 100 91,1 17,5

so that updates for the scan engine and signatures come in as Symantec Norton Security 22.8 194/0/0 20/0/0 • 100 100 99,3

protected and certified for the PC. With these updates, the provider Trend Micro Internet Security 11.0 32/0/0 245/6/0 • 100 76 71,8

signs the individual program packets. Upon receiving it on the user’s BullGuard Internet Security 17 19/1/0 69/1/0 • 99,6 100 93,1

computer, the AV software checks the authenticity of the digital AVG Internet Security 17.1 157/3/0 39/1/1 • 97,2 95,9 95

signature and then installs the updates. This way, unauthorised

Comodo Internet Security Pr. 10 11/0/0 52/0/0 • 92,2 53 56,5

updates are excluded. But most of such updates are not excluded,
Emsisoft Anti-Malware 12.1 5/0/0 28/0/0 • 92 k.A. k.A.
Avast Free AntiVirus 17.1 132/6/0 14/1/1 • 90,1 96,9 98
even if the antivirus program runs perfectly and is configured
McAfee Internet Security 19.0 49/0/0 324/0/0 • 88,5 100 96,7
optimally from the factory. In that case, it’s better to configure it
ThreatTrack VIPRE IS Pro 2016 118/12/0 13/1/0 • 85,3 43,3 38,3
yourself - more on that in the following pages.
Quick Heal Total Security 15.1 33/11/0 208/29/0 • 76,4 28,9 37,3
K7 Computing Total Security 15.1 89/6/0 3/0/0 • 58,5 25,9 k.A.
Hardware protection in the processor AhnLab V3 Internet Security 9.0 19/2/0 90/1/0 • 36,3 34,5 24,6
Since Windows XP-SP2, the Microsoft OS supports DEP protection secure Potentially insecure dangerous
Status: April 2017/Source: AVTest
(Data Execution Prevention), which starts directly in the CPU. The ӑyes • no
way it works is by having Windows set a special NX Bit (No
execution) for a specific memory area in which critical data is stored.
For instance, if a program tries to run the CPU registry through a
buffer overflow, the DEP will block access and report it to the
operating system. Nowadays, the technology is considered as a
standard, but not all use the function (see right). DEP itself is not a
fool-proof guaranteed protection. This is why developers use it in
tandem with other technology.

Software against buffer overflow

The ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomisation) technology was
developed more than ten years ago so that attackers cannot
anticipate where critical data is present in the buffer. First used in
Windows Vista, ASLR allowed programmes to allocate memory. For
mobile systems, iOS 4.3 was the pioneer for it and then it was used
in Android 4.0. Unfortunately, ASLR is also not 100 percent secure.
Using different tricks, attackers can bypass the random distribution.
For example, the malware can be distributed across the entire
memory via spraying. With this method, attackers provoke a buffer
overflow, which helps them in corrupting files with malware. To
prevent this from happening, the AV developers try to run only The antivirus software can be downloaded from some providers via insecure and
manipulative http-connections
 feature

certified software on the computer.

Optimise AV
Programs
You should make configurations, particularly for browser extensions
and the update settings as not all features of an AV software can
always be helpful to secure your own system. Sometimes it is even
better to deactivate one or the other function completely.

Optimise time of update

Browser plug-ins of antivirus programs warn against insecure sites but are rather
insecure themselves
The protection of AV programs rises and falls with their topicality.
Security researchers assume that known gaps can be actively
exploited within a few hours. But many AV programs start an
automatic update only once a day or even less frequently. It is better
to set the update routine to 12 hours, as most users are comfortable
with that. If you often visit unknown websites or install software on
the system, then reduce the time span to two hours.

Disable the browser toolbar

Most AV developers install a browser extension that monitors search
history and visited websites. Unfortunately, some of the browser
extensions themselves are unsafe. Once, security experts from
Google found out that the extension from AVG use special JavaScript
AVIs that are commonly considered unsafe. Since then, AVG has
patched the application.
Apart from the security plans, the users must also deal with
annoying advertisements with some extensions, such as the Avast
AV software. The intention was probably positive, with Avast
intending to show cheaper online prices for the products displayed to
the user, using the help of the SafePrice feature. What Avast
obviously does not reveal is that the company earns money with
every click.
The tools check the entire net traffic of the browser in the
background in order to warn against unsafe sites, acting act as proxy,
similar to Man-in-the-Middle attacks, so that the programmes can
The installed antivirus programs should search for programme and definition updates
also check the network traffic for viruses from encrypted sites.
every 12 hours
However, security experts have also found weak points even in the
SSL proxies. For instance, the renowned researcher Tavis Ormandy,
who found that the AV developers’ use of proxies is fatal, as it allows
Some AV systems like Avira will hackers additional starting points for attacks. Meanwhile, the
block access from unknown USB
media and protect against browsers themselves only warn against unsafe sites, meaning that
attacks like the BadUSB virus the toolbars do not provide any additional protection.

Activate USB protection

Virus protection provided by software like Avira help with attacks
that start from USB devices. To achieve this, the software blocks
access to external media. As a result, malware such as BadUSB don’t
have any chance to attack. With cases like BadUSB, USB drives
masquerade as keyboards in the background and run the hidden
programme code. To prevent that, you need to activate the USB
protection for the AV software you’re using. If your software does
not support the function, you can use MyUSBOnly (myusbonly.com,
approx. RM129) instead.
 feature

Professional Self-
Protection For The PC
Despite comprehensive antivirus software, you can easily extend
the protection further for your devices. We’ll explain which software
you can use and the settings you require.

Check infections independently

When you are visiting unknown sites and you do not know whether
they are virus-free, you can use the online service virustotal.com.
After entering the URL to be checked, the service analyses the site
and displays a detailed report.
Additionally, you also have the option to search files on the
portal. For instance, if your AV system warns you against a file on
your hard disk, upload the file to virustotal. Once uploaded, it will be
checked with the help of several antivirus engines from popular
developers. This way, even false alarms from your virus protection
are reliably verified.

Outwit ransomware
A backup is a simple solution option against encryption trojans.
You can best protect some files via encryption with VeraCrypt against hacker attacks
However, this process alone is often enough to outsmart such like Ransomware.
malware. This is because the latest ransomware do not encrypt the
entire hard disk, because AV software can recognise and block such
access. Instead, the viruses look specifically for documents and
images on the disk and damage them. You can prevent this by
storing your important files in an encrypted container, which
malware won’t be able to peek into or access. Use the software
VeraCrypt to create an encrypted file container for your documents.

Run a security check

With its Baseline Security Analyzer, Microsoft offers a program that
specifically searches for vulnerabilities in a PC. To do this, the
program checks whether all necessary patches have been installed
and checks the correct configuration of critical settings on the
system, such as the firewall or a secure password. Behind every
warning, you will find the link ‘‘Troubleshooting” that will explain
how to resolve the detected problems.

Secure mobile devices

You should use a combination of AV and additional software even
for mobile devices. For Android, this is the easiest since the virus
scanner will scan the entire system, like in Windows. However, iOS
users need to use special software to secure their devices.

Install system updates

The Baseline Security Analyser or Microsoft checks the system for important updates
By installing the latest OS updates, you will prevent most attacks on and helps with critical security settings
your smartphone or tablet. In order to install the updates in iOS, go
to ‘‘Settings | General | Software Update”, as it is recommended to
upgrade your OS manually this way.
If you load an infected desktop computer using this software,
then the firmware file may be already compromised. The download
process is encrypted and signed via the update in iOS. You can use
 feature
1
2 On the other hand, the security level of Android devices is low. Most
Additional protection
For Android users, it is advisable to get
extra protection for their system using
an AV software 1 . iOS users can detect
jailbreaks with apps like Lookout 2
Important updates
You should automatically activate
updates in Android 1 . The system
will then show the necessary
patches in a separate pull down
menu 2 .
2
You can use this mobile AV
system
After a detailed test, CHIP, in cooperation
with AV Test, recommends the following
antivirus systems for Android devices
AhnLab V3 Mobile Security 3.1
Antiy AVL 2.5
Bitdefender Mobile Security 3.2
Cheetah Mobile CM Security 3.3
G Data Internet Security 26.0
Kaspersky Lab Internet Security 11.13
McAfee Mobile Security 4.9
Norton Mobile Security 3.18
Sophos Mobile Security 7.0
Tencent WeSecure 1.4
Trend Micro Mobile Security 8.2
the security app Lookout to check whether a malware is already
present on the mobile system. Available through the App Store, this
software also checks whether there is an unwanted jailbreak present
or whether any mischievous applications are installed on the device.
worryingly, cheap entry-level devices do not get any new firmware
updates.
According to Google, Android Nougat (the latest version), is
installed on 11.5 percent of all Android devices. On the contrary, two
vulnerable OS versions - Lollipop or Kitkat - are running on almost
the other half of the devices. To check whether new OS versions are
available, open the ‘‘Settings” and go to the page ‘‘Via Phone”, then
click on ‘‘System updates” here.
Even with installed apps, you have to keep the applications up-
to-date and there is an automatic system in Android that needs to
be manually activated for that. To do this, open the Play Store app
and tap on the three lines on the top left. Next, select ‘‘Settings” and
activate the option ‘‘Allow automatic app updates only via WiFi”
under ‘‘Automatic app updates”. The OS will inform you about the
1 upcoming updates via the pulldown menu, which you can view
anytime by pulling it down from the upper screen margin.
Setup protection tools
Due to the rigid architecture of iOS, you do not need to install any
additional antivirus software apart from the Lookout app. This is
because the programs cannot check the system. But that’s not the
case when it comes to Android. With the latter, you need provide
your system with a security software, especially if you are using an
older version of the OS. For your ease of reference, we’ve included a
list of choices in the table on the bottom left.
You are well-protected with the installation of an AV software
and you will be able to protect yourself against Phishing attacks with
the help of additional software like Financial Security from McAffee.
The software checks popular banking apps in the background and
also checks the browser for a correct test sum, so that alterations to
the applications are excluded through this process. The tool also
checks your Internet connection for dubious data traffic. For
example, if a malware is installed on a device and is spying on the
data, then the McAffee app will immediately report and block the
access.
Use special browsers
The antivirus software and additional anti-phishing software can
indeed protect you against most dangers, but you should also use
additional protection for mobile browsing so that you are proactively
ready against attacks. An excellent example here is by using the
browser Cliqz from the Google Play Store. For one, the browser offers
records tracking information and on the other hand, while also
preventing access to passwords and account information of the user.
If you use all the information and applications as described in this
article, the majority of the virus shouldn’t be able to affect your
devices - even when your AV solution has a weakness or two. But
the one thing you need to ensure is that your software is constantly
up-to-date. Otherwise, not even the latest technology won’t be of
help.
You will find the AV systems in
Google Play Store in the tab ‘‘Tools |
Top Charts”
 cover story

The Big Hacker Report

At the Black Hat, DEF CON and Cyber Week events, the world’s leading security experts told
everyone what the attacks of the future are going to look like and explained how we could protect
ourselves against them
By Fabian von Keudell

060 november 17 chip malaysia


T
he world’s three biggest hacker fairs take place every summer.
One is the Cyber Week held in Tel Aviv, while the other two are
the Black Hat and DEF CON in Las Vegas. Each of these trade
fairs has its own speciality. At Cyber Week, the managers of security
companies talk about new dangers, while security researchers
working for different companies discuss attacks in great detail at the
Black Hat event. On the other hand, you hardly encounter any
speaker who’s prepared to use his real name at the DEF CON event.
And one of the reasons behind such anonymity is because the hacks
that are put on display often toe the line when it comes to the law. In
fact, an arrest was actually made at the event this year. These trade
cover story
fairs hardly ever feature discussions dealing with attacks that are
already known. Instead, the speakers deal with new attacks or
snooping techniques, while also providing information regarding
protective measures. The experts seem to agree that what the
professionals displayed at these trade fairs are going to transform
the daily routines of all users in the near future. Having spoken to
some well-known security experts at the events, we now have new
information to share with you.
Attacks Against
Smartphones
From the hackers’ point of view, the smartphone is one of the world’s
most rewarding targets, because these devices are used to store
things like e-mails, images and credit card data. With the right kind
of software, the data can be read and manipulated. Even the mobile
phone’s location signal can be forged.
Mobile payment with loopholes
Until recently, Apple’s Apple Pay mobile payment system was
thought to be one of the most secure systems in the world –
practically unbreakable. All of that changed at the Black Hat
presentation, where Tim Yunusov utterly dismantled the security
concept of Apple’s payment procedure. Although many experts
believe that Apple Pay is secure even if the iOS device’s access
protection system has been disabled with a jailbreak, Yunusov used
self-programmed tools that read the data to prove that the opposite
is true. To protect themselves, users can check whether their devices
have been subjected to a jailbreak operation. One way to do this is by
using the SystemGuard app. However, there are also bugs that affect
devices using an Apple-certified OS. In fact, these bugs are
associated with situations in which the device in question is used to
make an online purchase with the help of Apple Pay. The security
researcher found that payment procedures can be executed even if
the seller does not accurately verify user information. As a result,
something like a replay attack would make it possible to use the
crypto-key associated with a specific payment procedure several
times. This key contains the one-time credit card number that Apple
allocates to each payment procedure and hackers can use it to
initiate random payment procedures involving random amounts.
There’s only one prerequisite that has to be fulfilled and that is for
the payment procedures to involve the same service provider, as well
as being carried out within a short span of time. When that happens,
users cannot defend themselves on their own. Apple and the banks
must promptly deactivate the used crypto-keys as soon as the
respective transactions have been completed, or it falls on the users
to keep a close eye on their own dealings.
Highly secret snooping software for Android
About a year ago, it became known that intelligence agencies
throughout the world were using the Pegasus software created by
NSO Group Technologies to spy on iOS devices. All the attackers had
to do was send a simple phishing SMS, which would tempt users to
chip malaysia november 17 061
 cover story
1
2 software in question is called Chrysaor and its method of attack is
Apple Pay hacked
To protect yourself against the
illegal reading of your credit card
data, you should check your device
for jailbreaks 1 and regularly
inspect the Apple Pay receipts 2
Tim Yunusov explains how hackers could manipulate Apple Pay to make multiple
withdrawals from an account
INTERVIEW
Modern ransomware attacks are just the beginning
Marcin Kleczynski, IT expert and CEO of Malwarebytes, explains why blackmailers will be more successful in the future
> Should victims of a ransomware attack go
ahead and pay the ransom?
The ransomware debate apparently only
involves two options: To pay or not to pay. But I
believe it depends on the situation. If you have
lost important data like a PhD thesis, whose
value exceeds that of the ransom, why shouldn’t
you pay up and try to get your data back?
> Will ransomware attacks increase in the
future?
In the future, the data won’t be what leads to
blackmail, because having access will become
the new way to blackmail. For example, there
could be DDoS attacks against large companies
that will only stop if paid. This will be made
possible by easily-hackable IoT devices, because
the development of such devices typically don’t
prioritise IT security above all else. For example,
visit a website. Lookout’s security researchers have now uncovered
the Android-related equivalent and revealed it at Black Hat. The
extremely target-oriented. According to Lookout, the software has
been installed on no more than 0.000001 percent of the world’s
Android devices. It infiltrates a device via phishing (just like Pegasus)
or an app download, then as soon as it has been installed, it checks
whether it can root the smartphone.
If it can, it will then start monitoring and extracting data. Real-
time monitoring will not be possible if the device possesses a root
protection facility. In that case, Chrysaor simply browses through the
device, collects data and sends it to a monitoring server. This
particular phenomenon affects all Android versions. Unlike Pegasus,
the NGO Group doesn’t even have to use zero-day exploits, so it is
quite difficult to protect yourself from such an attack. The best form
Photos i. UZS v. li.: Black Hat USA 2017; Apple; Black Hat USA 2017; Malwarebytes
of protection is to only click on known links and use nothing but
standard apps.
GPS spoofing removes 2-Factor protection
At the DEF CON event, a hacker called ‘Karit’ showed everyone just
how easy it is to manipulate GPS signals. ‘‘You would have thought
that a system as important as GPS would have been protected
against attacks,” said Karit. However, one can fool the tracking
system using hardware that is worth about 500 US dollars (approx.
RM2,121). There’s a variety of attack options that the method
provides. For example, an Uber ride calculates the fare on the basis
of the time and distance that has been covered. Karit can manipulate
the distance value by transmitting his own GPS signal, which is much
if the reservation website of a large company company pays a ransom. However, Tesla takes
like Lufthansa is paralysed by an IoT botnet, IT security very seriously. For example, they are
company bosses will have to ask themselves using anti-malware tools produced by us. But
whether they should give the blackmailers other manufacturers have a lot of catching up
something like 10 percent of their daily to do in that particular department. For
earnings, so that the attack will cease example, one of my IT researchers managed to
immediately. Alternatively, they could hope that hack his new car in less than 20 minutes, after
their own IT folks will be able to fend off the which he was able to use
attack quickly enough. From the companies’ his notebook’s cursor
point of view, such situations are going to keys to control the
become more and more problematic in the vehicle. He was able to
future. do this because the car
> Could such attacks also be used against receives updates via a
modern cars? USB stick and leaves a
Elon Musk recently said that his biggest certain network port
concern would be a fleet attack, i.e. a remote open for this purpose. It
access to all Teslas throughout the world. This was child’s play for the Marcin Kleczynski,
CEO Malwarebytes
allows hackers to paralyse the cars, until the him.
 cover story

stronger than the one that comes from the satellites that are at a
FBI nabs hacker
distance of 20,000 km. In Karit’s experience, the drivers always
The hacker Marcus Hutchins was arrested by the FBI on the edges of the
accept the reduced fare. DEF CON event. Officially, he has been charged with developing the Kronos
Another method is to use the position data and GPS signal to banking Trojan. The indictment is still classified
manipulate the time zone setting on a device. From Karit’s point of
view, this represents quite a juicy target, because it can even be used
to bypass the 2-factor protection for various companies and
services. He simply uses his GPS transmitter to turn back the clock
by transmitting an incorrect time signal. Old one-time passwords
would then start functioning again. According to Karit, such an attack
can only be carried out if, in addition to the crucial GPS receiver of the
company, the hacker also forges the jamming transmitter. Although
large companies like Google and Amazon also use the GPS time
signal, they use other sources – like NIST (National Institute of
Standards and Technology) – to verify it.

This is what the TOP government Trojans can do

Attacks Targeting Target-oriented snooping apps can read almost everything that’s stored on
the targeted devices and Android makes this especially easy. In fact, the

Networked Devices
Smart home devices are very rarely protected against hacking
intelligence agencies don’t even need a zero-day loophole

attacks. Since they often lack even a simple encryption system, all
that attackers have to do is intercept the radio transmission. Can change installed app processes ӑ ӑ
SMS extraction ӑ ӑ
Photos i. UZS v. li. o.: dpa/Picture Alliance/AP Photo; Black Hat USA 2017; Coleman Cable via Amazon; Great Scott Gadgets; (2); CHIP (2); David Robinson, ZX Security

Zero-day exploits necessary ӑ •

Sound wave attack throws devices off balance Audio surveillance ӑ ӑ
Researchers working for China’s Alibaba group have found out that
Rooting of the device necessary • ӑ
modern devices can be manipulated using sound waves. Experts
Autonomous snooping app • ӑ
managed to use hardware worth about 350 US dollars (approx.

SOURCE: LOOKOUT
Self-destruct function ӑ ӑ
RM1,485) to disrupt smartphone displays and even cause drones to Launches targeted attacks against popular apps and
devices ӑ ӑ
crash. According to the experts, the most dangerous attacks are the
ones that target hoverboards and scooters. In a demonstration
Prevents system updates ӑ ӑ
video, they illustrated an attack against a Segway Minipro. The sound
Possible to read screen (without rooting) • ӑ
waves disrupted the scooter’s sensors, which caused the rider to fall Yes ӑ No •
off. In this case, users of the devices cannot protect themselves, so 1
the manufacturers are the ones who have to rectify the situation.
The researchers recommend using a specially-shielded processor on
the circuit board. Help could also be provided by a software patch,
such as an algorithm that filters the malicious sound wave signals
out of the sensors’ data streams.

Many IoT devices can be hacked quite easily

Caleb Madrigal (alias Metem) also uses sound waves to carry out his
attacks. For some time now, he has been using hardware worth a
few hundred US dollars to comb through radio and sound wave
spectrums, no matter where he happens to be.
He found that while many IoT devices like smart sockets are 2
protected on the software-side, they use radio signals to control
their clients (i.e. other sockets) - signals that can be recorded and GPS-Manipulation
reproduced very easily. The free Audacity sound tool is used for this
Hardware worth a few hundred
purpose, allowing hackers to operate the devices without having to dollars 1 can be used to
go through any security queries. At the DEF CON, Madrigal change GPS data. For example,
demonstrated how this method can also be used to paralyse things this makes it possible to
like home alarm systems. reduce the fares of the Uber 2
taxi service, since the price is
calculated based on the
distance that has been covered
 cover story

ATM hacked in seconds

Sound waves render devices inoperative There’s a training camp for hackers located about an hour from Tel
At the Black Hat event, researchers from the Alibaba group demonstrated
Aviv. There, CyberGym’s CEO Ofir Hason showed CHIP the company’s
how they could use sound waves to manipulate devices’ displays, and even
cause Segway scooters to crash offices during Cyber Week. At the camp, security experts from all
over the world use these premises to practise cyber-attacks and
counterattacks. Among their teachers are ex-soldiers who used to be
part of the Israeli military’s infamous Unit 8200. ‘‘This facility allows
companies to emulate a variety of attacks, such as attacks targeting
industrial facilities that use SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition) components,” explained Hason.
Hason’s clientele includes major banks, so part of the equipment
he has on hand includes an ATM. About 50,000 machines of this type
can be found in Asia. This represents a big risk for the clients,
because the machines have computers inside that are still using
Windows NT 4.0, which is extremely easy to hack. Hason also knows
exactly why these machines are still in use. ‘‘An update would simply
be too expensive for several service providers,” he said. Although
newer versions are being used in Europe, these versions are also
vulnerable. Hason was tight-lipped on the issue of exactly how
they’re vulnerable, but there were others who were a little more
2 talkative on this subject.
At the Black Hat event, experts from IOActive showed everybody
how they could access the hidden USB ports of newer ATMs in a
matter of seconds, in order to install malware that deactivates all
IoT hacked by radio the security mechanisms. The technique in question is called
A special radio transmitter 1 ‘jackpotting’, a method that still works despite being an old trick. In
allows for replay attacks that August of this year, a perpetrator was filmed at a Postbank branch
make it possible to manipulate using a USB drive to install malware on the ATM and cleaned out its
smart sockets 2 and activate
entire supply of money. However, it took him about half an hour to
or deactivate them from a
distance gain access, while IOActive’s experts can carry out their attack a lot
quicker than that.
1

Attacks Targeting
Cars
Automobile manufacturers are gradually beginning to realise that
their vehicles’ on-board computers also need to be better protected
against attacks. Even technology pioneer Tesla is realising just how
1 important this is, because the company’s vehicles are being hacked
repeatedly, despite over-the-air updates.
ATM hack
Professionals reveal the
vulnerabilities of ATMs 1 at a Tesla-hack in spite of a patch from the
hacker training camp. For manufacturer
example, many devices still use In September 2016, experts working for Keen Security Lab showed
floppy disk drives 2
that they could hack into a Tesla’s control computer and manipulate
things like the roof and parking brake. Tesla responded in just ten
2 days, rectifying the vulnerabilities through an over-the-air update.
Now, one year later, the very same people are making Tesla’s life
difficult once again. The current scenario once again affects
important systems, with the brakes in the crosshair once again.
In this case, the hackers used an open guest network (which is
normally only used by Tesla’s workshops) to access the cars’
computers, where they found a bug in the WebKit browser engine.
From there, they managed to get into the internal control systems.
 cover story

Thanks to a vulnerability in the code signature, the experts were

then able to implant their own code, which in turn brought the car Car-hack via smartphone
under their control. Incidentally, the attackers can also open the Security researchers from China have developed a web app that enables
doors and activate or deactivate the lights. According to insiders them to hack the doors, windows and brakes of a modern Tesla. Tesla has
from Keen Security Lab, Tesla responded to the attacks in an already responded by releasing a patch
exemplary manner and a patch was once again released in less than
ten days. On the other hand, cars produced by other manufacturers
are a lot more insecure. Even when it comes to their latest models,
BMW, Mercedes and VW can only install updates either at a
workshop or through a USB drive, and the procedure takes a lot of
valuable time. In any event, the risk of a vehicle hack isn’t even the
most significant risk faced by modern cars.

Fear of mass attacks against automobile

manufacturers
A fleet attack is the thing that frightens Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla.
In such a scenario, cybercriminals would attack Tesla’s main servers,
thereby gaining the ability to remotely control all the Teslas in the
world. It sounds like something out of a science fiction story, but it’s Attacks targeting fleets and infrastructure
a genuine danger, because Tesla is the only car manufacturer that A fleet attack is currently considered to be the worst-case scenario. It
offers the option of manipulating cars by radio. But Musk isn’t the allows hackers to infiltrate the servers of car manufacturers like Tesla and
only one sounding this particular alarm; Malwarebytes’ Adam Kujawa simultaneously paralyse all the networked cars in the world
also believes in the possibility of such an attack. In an interview, the
virus lab boss said that he believes that other manufacturers could
Photos v. o.: Tencent; Tesla Motors; Reuters/Aaron P. Bernstein (Musk); Malwarebytes (Kujawa); CHIP (Diskin); PDQ Vehicle Wash Systems

also end up facing the same threat. It could, for example, involve
manipulation of the eCall system.
In fact, this idea is corroborated most impressively by Yuval
Diskin, former chief of Israel’s domestic intelligence service. From his
point of view as someone from a company that also helps car
manufacturers protect their systems, such an attack is only a matter
of time. For example, an entity with sufficient financial and
personnel resources might be able to paralyse all the BMWs in the
world.

Car wash ruins vehicles

Whitescope’s researchers have proven that even car washes can
turn into a hazard. The experts took a look at Laserwash, which is a
company that manufactures car washes. In order to ensure that
nobody would get hurt, they programmed a proof of concept that
made the car wash damage cars. In order to do this, the hackers
From left: Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla), Adam Kujawa (lab boss of Malwarebytes) and
would use web access to manipulate the distance sensors. Yuval Diskin (ex-head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service) perceive the risk of a
large-scale fleet attack
In this case, the car wash facility could end up ramming the car
and even injure the passengers in the worst-case scenario. The
researchers managed this method of attack by using a standard
password to access the facility’s web proxy, which can be accessed
freely through the internet. Unfortunately, it looks like the attack
isn’t serious enough for the manufacturer to consider releasing a
patch yet. The manufacturer did issue a warning that recommends
changing the standard password, but many of the car washes are
still open to access via the web.
As scary as the hackers’ methods are, most of them do disclose
their results to the manufacturers, so that they will be able to
release the appropriate patches. As a result, all the companies have
to do is ensure that they respond swiftly. If they don’t, the bugs
could be exploited by people who have malicious intentions. Attackers were able to hack a networked car wash and make the mechanical washing
arm strike the car. The manufacturer has not yet released a patch
 know the future
COVER STORY FEATURES
Our main feature Incredibly useful
of the month and informative
which gives an feature articles give
in-depth coverage you the lowdown
of today’s on the latest IT and
most exciting technology trends
technological
issues and trends

REVIEWS PRACTICE & TIPS

Professionally & TRICKS
conducted and Our handy guide
in-depth in nature, provides you with
our product write- the application
ups are the only know-how to
reviews you can further enhance
trust your IT experiences

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 test lab

TEST LAB: The Tools

Here at the CHIP Test Labs, we adhere to the high requirements set by the CHIP International Testcenter
standards. This means that everything here -- from our own personal knowledge and to our trusted tools
of the trade -- are meant to provide the most optimised, unbiased and comprehensive review to every
product that comes through our doors. As thus, our test bed tools are specifically picked to get the most
out of every test we perform

Intel Platform AMD Platform

Motherboards Graphics Motherboards Graphics
Intel DZ77GA-70K Processing Unit ASUS Crosshair V Processing Unit
MSI Z87 MPower MSI GeForce GTX 980 ASUS A88X-Pro ASUS Radeon R9 290X
GAMING 4G
Processors Processors CPU Cooler
Intel Core i7-3770K CPU Cooler Cooler AMD Ryzen 7 1700 Cooler Master Hyper 212
Intel Core i7-4770K Cooler Master Hyper Turbo
212 Turbo

PSU, Storage & RAM Benchmark Software

Power Supply Memory Operating Industry
Cooler Master Silent Pro Kingston HyperX System Standard
Hybrid (1300W) HX424C15FBK4/16 Windows 10 Pro Benchmark Tools
(64-bit) AIDA64
Storage SiSoftware SANDRA
Western Digital Black² Dual Futuremark Speccy
Drive PCMark 8 Unigine Heaven
Western Digital My Book 3DMark
Live Duo

chip malaysia november 17 067

 test lab

11
TEST LAB 13 15
8

7
18
3

12 14

9
10
1 7

068 november 17 chip malaysia

 test lab

CONTENTS
5
1 Nokia 8 076
2 Marvo Scorpion HG8802 077
3 Lian Li PC-O11 078
4 vivo V7+ 079
5 Acer Switch 5 080
6 PowerColor Red Dragon Radeon RX 560 081
7 MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GAMING X TRIO 082
17 8 MSI Z370 GAMING PRO CARBON 083
9 ASUS ROG Zephyrus 084
10 ASUS ZenBook Flip S 085
11 ASUS ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming 086
12 ASUS ROG STRIX RX VEGA64 087
13 GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS 088
16
14 Intel Core i5-8400 089
15 GIGABYTE X399 Designare EX 090
16 D-Link PowerLine AV2 1000 Starter Kit 091
17 DJI Spark 092
18 iKANOO i708 093

CHIP Awards Ratings

Each product review is rated on a scale of 1 to 5 for
CHIP Editors’ Choice Award different key parameters:
Awarded to products that receive unanimous
endorsement from all CHIP editors for its overall
brilliance

CHIP Outstanding Award

Reserved for products that combine astute technical
performance with good quality and design
CHIP Recommended Award
Given to products that possess singular quality
worthy of a recommendation
PERFORMANCE : Refers to the efficiency of execution
FEATURES : Rates the abilities and unique characteristics available
DESIGN : Varies according to product. Finished products - form factor and build
quality. Hardware components - layout, size and cooling solution. Software - user
interface
VALUE : Calculated from the performance and features of the product in relation
to the price

chip malaysia november 17 069

 first looks

Sniped Ya
The Brook Sniper is a conversion accessory that is plugged into the
USB slot of your console. Once plugged in, it allows you to plug in
a mouse and keyboard onto the device. You can then customise
the keystrokes and buttons on your keyboard or mouse using the
BrookSniper app on your mobile device. There are a few games
that come with presets on the app so you don’t have to waste
time doing your own configurations. Now you can dominate the
battlefield using mouse and keyboard on consoles.

Brook Sniper
Contact: Brook Accessory
Info: http://www.brookaccessory.com/

Compactly Designed
The XZ1 Compact is similar to its bigger brother, the Xperia XZ1. It
comes with a 4.6-inch HD TRILUMINOS Display, 4GB of RAM and
32GB of internal memory, which can be expanded with a 256GB
microSD card. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon
835 processor and is equipped with a 2,700 mAh battery. It also
has Quick Charge 3.0, but sadly no wireless charging. As for the
cameras, it sports a 19-megapixel Motion Eye camera for the rear,
and an 8-megapixel front camera. The XZ1 Compact is also capable
of running 3D Creator, and capture 3D images all on your device.

Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact

Contact: Sony (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
Phone: 1 300 88 1233
Info: www.sony.com.my

Compact & Lightweight

The ASUS FX553VD is a lean, mean gaming machine that is built
light and compact, allowing you to take it everywhere. Equipped
with a 7th gen Intel Core i5 7300HQ processor, 4GB of 2,400 MHz
DDR4 RAM which can be upgraded, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
and 1TB of HDD. For the display, it sports a 15.6-inch Full HD
Anti-Glare display with 60Hz of refresh rate. It also comes with a
built-in optical DVD drive for those pesky school projects hand-
ins. Measuring at 383 x 255 x 30 mm and weighing less than 3 kg,
this could be your perfect gaming and work companion anywhere
you go.

ASUS FX553VD
Contact: Thunder Match Technology Sdn Bhd, All IT Hypermarket
Sdn Bhd, Brightstar Computer Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 9286 9333, (03) 5879 7336, (03) 2202 7587
Info: https://www.asus.com/my/Laptops/ASUS-FX553VD/

070 november 17 chip malaysia

 first looks

Gaming on Ultra
The GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming is one of the latest boards
from GIGABYTE to feature the new and hot Intel 8th Generation
processors. The board comes with several goodies such as RGB
Fusion, AMP-UP Audio, Smart Fan 5, and so on. It also sports a
Thermal Armor for the I/O port cover, as well as a new design for
the M.2 Heatsink. With RGB Fusion you can sync up your RGB
devices and components together to display the same colour. It
can also support DDR4 Memory with XMP capabilities of up to
4,000 MHz and more! Besides that, the board is VR ready, and can
support graphic cards with up to 3-Way CrossFire or 2-Way SLI
Support.

GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming

Contact: Nation-Tech Sdn Bhd, Ban Leong Technologies Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 4280 6636, (03) 79566300
Info: www.gigabyte.my

Sure To Impress
The Epson SureColor SC-B9070 is an Indoor Signage Production
Printer. It is capable of printing up to 100 sqm/h, and is capable of
printing signs with up to 2880×1440 dpi of resolution, along with
a maximum ink droplet size of 4.1 pl. Utilising the top of the line
printing technology of Dual PrecisionCore TFP Print Heads with
8-channel, capable of drop-on-demand that will ensure amazing
printing speeds. The after-heater of the printer will also improve
ink-drying time, and this allows the media to be taken up the reel
without transferring wet ink to the roll. The printer can fit a paper
of at least 300 mm, with a maximum of 1,626 mm wide.

Epson SureColor SC-B9070 Indoor Signage Production Printer

Contact: Epson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 5628 8288
Info: www.epson.com.my

Skilling On The Rest

The Sharkoon Skiller Mech SGK2 is a tenkeyless mechanical
keyboard that comes without the numpad that is usually
present on other keyboards. This allows the keyboard to
have a smaller size compared to other keyboards, saving
you valueble desktop space. The board uses Kailh Red
switches, which is similar to Cherry Red switches, but
made by a different company. It’s illuminated with White
LEDs and is also equipped with Anti-Ghosting Keys, N-Key
Rollover support, 6-Key Rollover support, and on-the-fly
macro recording. The keyboard also sports a gold-plated
USB plug with braided cable.

Sharkoon SKILLER MECH SGK2

Contact: IDEAL TECH PC Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 9202 3137
Info: https://www.sharkoon.com/

chip malaysia november 17 071

 first looks

Not Your Average Lightsaber

Elitegroup’s Z370 board comes with some bells and
whistles, but weirdly it is not as bright as a lightsaber.
It does have some illumination on the side, which can
be controlled in the BIOS. But this is not new as they
rarely focus on the aesthetics and more on raw power.
It supports the latest Intel 8th Gen processors and 64GB
DDR4 2,400 MHz on default, which can be pushed to
3,200 MHz on OC. The board also has three PCIE slots, but
only capable of supporting AMD CrossFire. You can even
utilise LEET Boost to easily overclock your components
without having to get into the nitty gritty stuff.

ECS Elitegroup LEET Z370-Lightsaber Motherboard

Contact: Convergent Distribution(M) Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 2144 1881
Info: www.ecs.com.tw

MIXing It Up
ADATA, a brand that is mostly known for their storage and memory
products have just recently announced the XPG EMIX H30 Gaming Headset
and XPG SOLOX F30 Gaming Amplifier. This combo allows you to enjoy
7.1 virtual surround sound with spatial and multi-directional audio. On
the amplifier, you can easily switch between four preset sound modes
for gaming, movie, music or voice. You can also swap between speaker
or headphone output with a touch of a button. 53 mm drivers are also
equipped on the headphones, so you can enjoy a variety of audio range as
well as deep bass.

ADATA XPG EMIX H30 Gaming Headset & XPG SOLOX F30 7.1 Gaming
Amplifier
Contact: Achieva Technology Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 7955 1768
Info: www.adata.com

XTREEM Speeds
Team Group’s T-FORCE XTREEM DDR4 memory recently
won Japan’s Good Design Award by beating the world
record for highest overclocking frequency of 5,280 MHz,
becoming the first ever memory to ever break the barrier
of 5,200 MHz. It comes with base frequencies of up to
4,133 MHz and supports Intel XMP 2.0, which allows
you to easily overclock it. For now, the XTREEM DDR4
memory comes without any RGB or over the top design,
but instead it comes with a low profile design.

Team Group T-Force Gaming XTREEM DDR4 Memory

Contact: AMT PC Distributors Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 3344 1124
Info: http://www.teamgroupinc.com/en/

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 first looks

Speed Of Light
The latest mouse from Logitech is wireless and is made for gamers. It
comes with a new sensor dubbed the HERO sensor and is capable of
utilising the full DPI range of 200 to 12,000. According to Logitech, it will
have zero smoothing, acceleration and filtering. The HERO is also equipped
with smart power management that allows the mouse to last up to 500
hours on high settings, and 18 months on low settings. You can even
connect the G603 to multiple devices using LIGHTSPEED and Bluetooth
technologies. The mouse is still usable with one battery, without any
loss in performance aside from battery life. The mouse also sports six
programmable buttons.

Logitech G603 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Mouse

Contact: Ingram Micro Sdn Bhd, MCL Sdn Bhd, M-Link Sdn Bhd, Kaira
Technologies Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 7955 8188, (03) 8023 3800, (03) 7728 9003, (03) 7955 3669
Info: www.logitech.com/en-my

Elegant Design
The ED3 is one of Acer’s latest monitor to grace the table of
gamers and designers, and comes with some great features.
It features a 27-inch 1800R curved Full HD display, one that
is not yet found on many monitors in the market now, but is
slowly increasing in numbers. The display is also rated at 4ms
of response time and 144 Hz of Refresh Rate, backed by AMD’s
FreeSync for reduced screen tearing. It’s also less prone to flickers
and features BlueLightShield to reduce eyestrain.

Acer ED273 abidpx

Contact: Acer Sales and Services Sdn Bhd
Phone: 1 800 88 1288
Info: www.acer.com.my

Bring On The Legion

The Lenovo Legion Y920 laptop was recently unveiled, and will
be made available to the local market very soon. It comes with
7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX
1070 and up to 32GB of DDR4 memory. For the display, Lenovo
made it a 17.3-inch Full HD IPS display, which is capable of 4K
resolution. This is topped off with a fully mechanical keyboard
on the laptop. If you love RGB, you can even enable multicolour
backlight for the keyboard. As for the audio side of things, Lenovo
teamed up with JBL to deliver impeccable audio experience with
their 3W bass subwoofer and 2W speakers.

Lenovo Legion Y920 Laptop

Contact: Lenovo Technologies Sdn Bhd
Phone: 1 800 80 8575
Info: www.lenovo.com/my/en

chip malaysia november 17 073

 first looks

You’re A MasterWatt
Cooler Master a popular brand all around the world has just
announced new products within their MasterWatt series Power Suppy,
ranging from 450Wto 750W. It comes with DC – DC circuit design,
which provides reliable and stable output voltages consistently.
A Cooler Master 120 mm Silencio FP fan coupled with sealed LDB
bearings can be seen on the unit, combining for low noise and reduced
power consumption compared to other fans. Sleeved cables are also
provided with the PSU for better cable management, allowing uses to
keep a clean and more professional look. The MasterWatt operates at
0dB under 15% load.

Cooler Master MasterWatt 650

Contact: Ban Leong Technologies Sdn Bhd, Build Technology Supply
Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 7956 6300, (03) 7955 3699
Info: www.coolermaster.com

Ring Light Ready

The Razer Kiyo is a webcam that is made for streamers. It’s equipped
with a ring light right around the camera, with the colour temperature
of the light set to 5600K, and brightness capable of reaching 10 Lux.
An omni-directional microphone is also built into the device, so it can
be your all-in-one streaming device if you want it to. The camera
on the device can record at 1080p in 30FPS or 720p in 60FPS. Now
you don’t have to buy expensive lighting solutions to increase your
streaming quality, since it is all built into the small webcam. Look
brighter and better for your streams.

Razer Kiyo
Contact: Ban Leong Technologies Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 7956 6300
Info: www.razerzone.com

Aye Matey
The latest phablet phone from HUAWEI comes in the form
of Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro. The Mate 10 Pro features a
6-inch Fullview and OLED display with 402 ppi. It is powered
by the new Kirin 970 processor, which is equipped with a
NPU (Neural Network Processing Unit). Empowering this
device is 4GB RAM with 64GB of storage, or 6GB of RAM
with 128GB of ROM, and it runs on the Android 8.0-based
EMUI 8.0. It also sports a dual camera setup for the rear
camera, consisting of a 20-megapixel monochrome camera
with 12-megapixel RGB camera, while the front uses an
8-megapixel camera. Lastly, a whopping 4,000 mAh battery
compliments the device.

HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro

Contact: Huawei Malaysia Mobile Hotline
Phone: 1 800 22 0086
Info: www.huawei.com/my

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 first looks

Gotta Go Fast
G.SKILL, a big name familiar to RAM enthusiasts, has just
announced the availability of a new configuration of 4x 8GB
(32GB) DDR4-4266MHz. This RAM kit is built from ultra-high-
performance Samsung B-die DDR4 ICs, marking it as the fastest
4x 8GB configuration available in the market now. In combination
with ASUS OptiMem technology, it boosts the T-Topology layout
with improved stability and increased frequency headroom. The
memory is running on CL19-23-23-43 at 1.4V and it is Intel XMP
2.0 ready, so you can take it to the next level.

G.SKILL Trident Z RGB 32GB DDR4-4266MHz

Contact: Eternal Asia (M) Sdn Bhd, IDEAL TECH PC Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 5613 5600, (03) 9202 3137
Info: https://www.gskill.com/en/

TUF For Gaming

ASUS has recently inched their TUF series to appeal
to more gamers with their tough and ready to game
motherboards. The TUF Z370-PLUS GAMING is no
different. It supports the latest Intel 8th Gen processors,
up 64GB 4,000 MHz(OC) memory, and AMD 2-Way
CrossFireX. Audio wise, it sports a Realtek ALC887 codec
on the board. As usual with TUF boards, it is built to
last and built, with top notch protections for the whole
motherboard, from the I/O port cover to PCIE SafeSlots.
The edges of the motherboard are also RGB illuminated,
so you can control and sync it together with ASUS Aura
Sync.

ASUS TUF Z370-PLUS GAMING

Contact: ASUSTek Computer Malaysia
Phone: (03) 2131 6650
Info: www.asus.com/my

Who Needs Earphones Anymore?

The Zungle Panther are sunglasses that have built-in
bone conduction speakers, which allows you to listen
to music all from your sunglasses, without the need for
any earphones or headphones. It works by transmitting
sound waves to the skull via vibrations. This allows
you to listen to music while paying attention to your
surroundings. There is also no need for wires as you
simply connect it to your smartphone via Bluetooth. The
sunglasses are also equipped with a built-in microphone,
so you can take your phone calls on the go as well,
without pulling out your smartphone.

Zungle Panther
Contact: Zungle Inc.
Info: https://www.zungleinc.com

chip malaysia november 17 075

 test lab

Nokia 8
Price: RM2,299
Contact: Avaxx Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 5638 3888
Info: https://www.nokia.com/en_my/phones

Operating System: Android 7.1.1

System on Chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Memory: 4 GB
Storage: 64 GB
Display: 5.3-inch IPS QuadHD
Camera: Dual 13-megapixel (Colour + Mono) rear,
13-megapixel front
Battery: 3,090 mAh
Dimensions: 151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9 mm

Antutu: 173,724 points

PCMark for Android: 6,717 points
3DMark Slingshot Extreme: 3,499 points
3DMark Slingshot: 4,586 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

A New 8 Enters
The Battle
By Rikco Shim

Nokia’s latest Android flagship device comes with some

great bells and whistles

T
he Nokia 8 is a device that does most
things well without adding too much
bloatware to the original Android
experience. It is one of the lightest OS that
we’ve used over the years, with OxygenOS
from the OnePlus just behind it.
This phone is well-built, but lacks
much of the innovation found in other
smartphones that are available in the
market right now. It does have a vertical
dual camera setup in the middle of the
phone, a headphone jack on top of the
device and a USB Type-C port for charging at
the bottom.
The camera at the back is great to use,
but sometimes when you are using it in
Twin mode, it lags ever so slightly, creating
a potentially unusable picture. The device is
capable of taking great pictures, maybe even
better than similarly priced counterparts.
Another feature added with the camera is
with its Dual-Sight mode, which utilises
both the front and rear camera together for
a split-screen picture. This is useful if you
want to be in the picture, but don’t want to
cram everyone into a wefie.
With the latest snapdragon processor –
the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, navigating
the phone is a breeze and during our time
of testing, the phone remained responsive
and could multitask games without issues. The vertical dual camera setup on the Nokia 8
However, we did run into an instance
whereby the phone was stuck in a bootloop,
and all we could do was wait for it to run out
of battery. Luckily that only happened once
during our testing, so it could just be a fluke.
It also features a new Nokia OZO
spatial 360 audio recording and playback,
which allows high quality audio recording
and playback. With Audio Focus, you can
maintain the focus on what you want to Dual-Sight camera mode
record by reducing ambient sounds and
background noises.
The phone as an overall package does its Speedy phone
job well and fights for its spot as a device + Dual-Sight
camera mode
Not very 2017 with top
and bottom bezels
that you should purchase this year, if you
are not interested in other flagship models
CHIP CONCLUDES
within the same price range. Plus, you can Overall, a great phone that comes with little
now have the original Nokia track set as bloatware and runs on the latest Snapdragon
your ringtone to get that nostalgia kick. processor, and is priced less than RM 3,000.

076 november 17 chip malaysia


Marvo Scorpion
HG8802
Price: RM69
Contact: GMCW SDN BHD
Info: www.gmcw.com.my
Frequency response: 20 – 20,000Hz
Impedance: 32ohm
Connectivity: USB, 3.5mm
Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:
The Price Is
Right
By Nixon Ng
Marvo has been surprising us with their products,
which come with great value and good to match
G
aming can come in different forms,
from your mobile phone to a
console platform, and while playing
online games with friends and strangers
communication is always key. There’s a wide
range of options out there when it comes to
headsets, but some of them are actually quite
costly especially for those on a tight budget.
Fortunately, there’s a silver lining as there are
also cheaper options out there that will solve
your budget problems.
Dive in to the Marvo HG8802, a USB
headphone which works across most gaming
platforms like PC, PlayStation and Xbox. The
packaging it comes in is pretty simple and the
box has that gamer vibe, but on the inside it’s
pretty simple. All you get is the headphone
and a cardboard insert, but honestly there’s
nothing else you’ll need. The overall build
quality of the HG8802 is decent; it doesn’t
feel cheap and plasticky like those OEM
headphones you get from your local IT store.
It does lack that true feeling of durability
but that’s to be expected at the price you’re
getting it for. However, it’s not flimsy by any
means. We adjusted the headphone length
and bent it about and it seems fine, just
test lab
don’t try to force it into a split. Surprisingly
the headphone is actually quite comfortable.
The cushion meant for your head is soft and
doesn’t apply any pressure, while the cups
are slightly hard but are big enough to fully
encompass even some of our big ears.
Isolation isn’t its forte but it’s good enough
to drown out some background noise. The
cable used on the HG8802 is braided cloth,
which makes it supple yet slightly rigid, and
we’ve noticed some kinks leftover from when
the cables were wound up during packaging. Control the volume, microphone and connect your
3.5mm cable to this remote
We also have to say the HG8802 is incredibly
light so you won’t feel any weight pressing
down on your head. The top cushion adds on
to that.
Sound quality wise, the HG8802 is quite
good. Listening to Porter Robinson’s Shelter,
an orchestratic and electronic song with
vocals, we had a nice mix of bass, mids, and
highs. Mids and highs come through clear + Comfortable
Great value
Doesn’t isolate
well
and no distortion was noticed. Bass is good
and tight but as it goes lower it starts getting CHIP CONCLUDES
muddy and drowns out everything else. On A value oriented gaming headphone which
the other hand, the bass is great for gaming works across most gaming platforms, the
as it allows you to hear and feel all the HG8802 is a steal and is a great choice for
excitement. those on tight budgets.
chip malaysia november 17 077
 test lab

Lian Li PC-O11
Price: RM1,099
Contact: GMC Worldwide Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 8023 0336
Info: www.gmwc.com.my

Motherboard Size: ATX, Micro ATX, Mini ITX

Bays: 4x 3.5-inch, 1x 2.5-inch, 3x 5.25-inch
Front Panel I/O: 2x USB 3.0, Audio In/Out
Fan Support: 1x 120mm (Rear), 3x 140mm (Front), 2x
120mm (Top)
Dimensions: 210 x 473 x 490 mm (WxHxD)

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

Show ‘Case’
Defined
By Mathhew Yap

Lian Li shows that it knows the current generation of PC

enthusiasts, as this casing definitely shows only what most
like to see

W
e’ve not had things come in from
Lian Li for the longest time, until
the PC-7HWX was sent to us last
month. This month, they’ve sent us another
model that is considered higher end - the
PC-O11.
The Lian Li PC-O11 is thicker than most
cases and it’s also made out of aluminium
and tempered glass, giving it an elegant
and clean look. Unfortunately, there are
a few disadvantages to that: It’s prone to
fingerprints and it’s heavier than most
cases, so do consider that when you are
trying to find placement for it.
An interesting thing about this case is its
dual-chamber design, with the side chamber
used to install and hide components that
tend to be a pain to manage (such as HDDs
or PSU cables) from view. Then there’s the
main chamber where the user gets to show
off all their RGB bling.
On the outside, you can see tempered
glass panels on the front and side – both
which are removable. The metal panel at
the front can be removed as well, though
to how it’s design. While it helps provide
an intake area that is better filtered, it
also makes it difficult to move the chassis
without lifting the entire thing. A good thing
is that everything can be removed without
tools, since the external panels are held in
Lacking more traditional feet with spacing at the
by high quality pegs.
bottom, the best way to move the chassis is to haul the
Removing the right panel gives you entire thing up
access to two removable HDD bays and the
area where the PSU is to be installed. You
also have multiple mounting spots scattered
around the interior for 2.5-inch drives, which
makes up for the lack of drive cages. But
other than that, this side chamber is a bit
underutilised. The main chamber is quite
standard when it comes to installation,
though the mount for water pump is a
welcome addition. The mounting rack for water cooling radiators is fixed
instead of using a rail system, which means it doesn’t
The one thing we’d really like to change support 140mm sizes and it’s inflexible when it comes
on this chassis is the radiator brackets; to placement
there’s one pre-installed at the top and
another in the box. Most AIO or liquid
cooling loop users prefer brackets that are
flexible, such as a slide or rail system that Plenty of space Hard to move around
allows you to make adjustments. Lian Li + Looks good Inflexible mounts

there’s no need to do. At the top is another
removable cover, which hides a magnetic
dust filter under it. There’s a much larger
dust filter at the bottom that can only be
accessed by tilting the enclosure over, due
opted for one with fixed mounting holes
instead, which don’t support 140mm or
280mm radiators, nor allow for flexible
placement of other smaller 120mm or
240mm radiators.
CHIP CONCLUDES
Looks pretty and theoretically a great
concept, but the execution leaves some to be
desired.

078 november 17 chip malaysia

 test lab

vivo V7+
Price: RM1,499
Contact: vivo Technologies Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 2856 9530
Info: www.vivo.my

Operating System: Funtouch OS 3.2

System on Chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon running
Adreno 506
Memory: 4 GB
Storage: 64 GB
Display: 5.99-inch
Camera: 24-megapixel (Front), 16-megapixel (Rear)
Battery: 3,225 mAh
Dimensions: 155.87 x 75.74 x 7.7 mm
Weight: 160 g

Antutu: 59,277 points

PCMark for Android: 4,747 points
3DMark Slingshot Extreme: 434 points
3DMark Slingshot: 801 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

Better Pictures,
Better Display
By Rikco Shim

vivo’s latest venture into edge-to-edge display and

improved selfie camera

v
ivo is a brand of smartphones that’s bring up your control panel along with used
quickly gaining popularity in Malaysia. apps, which you can clear by dragging them
Their latest smartphone, the V7+, comes away from the drawer. The front camera of the Sporting a single rear camera setup

bigger and better than the previous phone from
the smartphone giant.
It features a 5.99-inch edge-to-edge display
from the sides, and this time, no physical
buttons can be seen on the device, aside from
the volume rocker and power button which are
both located on the right side of the device.
Right out of the box, the device comes wrapped
with a protective plastic, a clear phone case
and other accessories can be found inside.
The device is great to hold and look at, but like
other vivo phones, you can feel the edges of
device is improved, allowing you to take better
selfies. With Live Photos, Group Selfies, Instant
Filters and more, your selfie game can be upped
with these additions.
The phone is decently fast, but for a 2017
flagship it’s not quite up to par. However, by
opting for a lower-end processor, they are able
to keep their cost down, so that’s an advantage
of the choice. Multitasking is still manageable
on the device and since vivo has enabled App
Clone, you can have two instances of Whatsapp
running, one for personal use and the other for The rounded edge display on the vivo V7+

the device where the screen meets the body. work.

It does slightly increase the grip that you have
on the phone, but for some it might be an
annoyance.
With the removal of a physical button,
gestures are the way you control the device. A
simple swipe up from the bottom minimises
the app you are currently on, while swiping
from the left of the screen to the middle will
With all that said, this phone is decent if
Looks great
you are looking for a selfie phone and do not
want to splurge on a smartphone. It comes + Capable of taking
amazing selfies
Price
Slightly older
processor
with a decent processor that is still capable of
playing the latest games, can handle your usual CHIP CONCLUDES
tasks well, packed with a great camera for both A decent phone built up to date for 2017, and
front and back, and sports a 2017 design of if you are big on selfies, the vivo V7+ should
smartphones with edge-to-edge display. be on your shortlist.

chip malaysia november 17 079

 test lab

Acer Switch 5
Price: RM3,399
Contact: Acer Sales and Services Sdn. Bhd.
Phone: 1 800 88 1288
Info: www.acer.com.my

Operating System: Windows 10 Home

Processor: Intel Core i5-7200U
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 620
Memory: 8GB LPDDR3
Storage: 256GB SSD
Connectivity: 802.11ac WiFi
Others: MicroSD card reader, Stylus
Dimensions: 292.90 mm x 201.80 mm x 9.60
Weight: 0.9kg (1.27kg with dock)

PCMark Home: 2,646 points

PCMark Creative: 2,767 points
PCMark Work: 2,933 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

Portable
Excellence
By Matthew YAo

The 2-in-1 Switch series returns with a new model that hits
the right spot for the average PC user

W
hen the first hybrid detachable
notebooks appeared, many brands
decided to make their own. That’s
understandable, since portability and flexibility
are important to many people. In Acer’s camp,
one of its latest in this category is the Switch 5.
As Acer probably intended when naming
it, the Switch 5 is a device that’s able to be
used as a tablet, or switched to notebook use
when docked with the keyboard. The body
itself comes in a dark-grey coloured body that’s
mostly aluminium, with a display surrounded
by rather thick bezels. Diagonally, it measures
more like a 12-inch device than an 11-inch
one. The good thing is that the screen is a very
sharp QHD IPS display (2160 x 1440).
buttons, a USB 3.0 Type-A port, USB 3.0 Type-C
Acer included the dock and stylus in the package, which
port, 3.5mm jack for a headset and a microSD makes the Switch 5 very good in value
card reader. It also has rear and front facing
cameras, which is useful for video calls and
taking pictures.
The keyboard included is decent, as it is
spaced out well and has good key travel, while
its trackpad does well enough. When not
docked, there’s a stylus available to use the
machine in tablet mode. Like other devices with
the same type of dock, the Switch 5 doesn’t feel
comfortable to use when placed on the user’s
lap, as it would dig into thighs with relish.
As a tablet, the Switch 5 can be great for
watching videos. However, while its high The kickstand is supposed to retract automatically, but
resolution means visuals are quite sharp, the doesn’t do so if opened all the way

The body and even the keyboard dock have
solid builds. Within the keyboard dock is some
hard plastic, giving the dock a strong frame that
doesn’t flex, while keeping the weight of the
colour reproduction isn’t the best for an IPS
display. Its contrast ratio is also average at
best, but it does have a very bright screen. In Highly portable
regards to audio, it does well enough but lacks + Bundled accessories
Silent
Average screen

entire unit low. Case in point, the Switch 5 only
weighs 1.27kg even with the dock attached.
Being a detachable device that’s closer to
tablet than a traditional notebook, the Switch
5 doesn’t has as many ports as its full-sized
cousins. However, Acer equipped it with volume
bass as expected of a device this size.
Thanks to its LiquidLoop cooling system, the
Switch 5 doesn’t have generate any fan noise
yet stays at a comfortable temperature most
of the time. It might feel a bit warm on full load,
but it won’t cook your lap.
CHIP CONCLUDES
It may not be the absolute best when it
comes to performance, but its easily one
of the top options you can go for in the
detachable 2-in-1 category.

080 november 17 chip malaysia

 test lab

PowerColor
Red Dragon
Radeon RX 560
Price: TBC
Contact: Achieva Technology Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 7955 1768
Info: www.powercolor.com

GPU: AMD Radeon RX560

Memory: 4GB GDDR5
Clockspeed: 1,288MHz (base/gaming mode), 1,750
MHz (boost)
Ports: 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
Slot Size: Dual-Slot
Other: 128-bit interface, 1024 stream processors
Dimensions: 225 x 128 x 38 mm

3D Mark Time Spy: 2,712 points

3D Mark Fire Strike: 5,812 points
3D Mark Fire Strike Extreme: 2,853 points
3D Mark Fire Strike Ultra: 1,474 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:

Entry Level
Gaming
By Matthew Yap

More people are getting into gaming, particularly e-sports,

so having an affordable option like this GPU is great

M
onths after AMD first launched its for DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort. You can still use
Polaris-based RX 500 series, the it with two monitors in 1080p resolution if you A single 6-pin PCIe cable is enough to power this GPU

company has finally released the
high-end Vega GPUs as well. While those are
for high-end gaming and other consumer
applications, GPUs like the cheaper PowerColor
Red Dragon RX 560 is designed for entry level
gaming like e-sports titles.
The Red Dragon RX 560 is a relatively short
GPU that comes in a simple box with no other
accessories inside. It’s covered by a black plastic
shroud that encloses a small aluminium, with
a single 120mm fan to cool the entire unit.
Don’t expect any frills either; it has no RGB
lighting, backplate or special fan blade design.
PowerColor’s goal was for a compact size and
low weight, which they achieved.
Being light makes it great to use in ITX
builds. But since it’s a dual-slot card, users
might run into issues. Length-wise it’s not too
long, so that helps for shorter cases or if it’s a
there are drive cages in the way.
In terms of I/O, you only get one port each
want, since it should have the bandwidth.
With a TDP of 75W, some may be surprised
that it can run on 1,288 MHz core clock speeds
and 1,700 MHz memory clock speeds. However,
that’s about as high as it gets and it’s can’t be
reliably overclocked further. To compensate,
it runs near silent, with the low-powered fan
barely heard even under full load. We were
worried that the cooling system wouldn’t be This GPU is quite lean on the I/O, providing only one
port each for DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort
efficient enough, but it manages relatively well
due to the low power draw and stays around
30° for idle to 75° when it’s under typical
load. While not the best performing cooler, it
manages the heat well enough.
As an entry level GPU, you won’t be doing + Near silent
Affordable
Can’t overclock
much
more than 1080p gaming with it. But thanks
to Radeon Chill, we see decent frame rates
CHIP CONCLUDES
at low temperatures. It’s more than enough A great budget card that’s quiet if a bit
to comfortably play titles like LoL or Dota 2, warmer than most, it can play most e-sports
and can run more high-end games at low to games you want at 1080p as long as you
medium settings if you want. adjust the settings.

chip malaysia november 17 081

 test lab

MSI GeForce
GTX 1080 Ti
GAMING X TRIO
Price: RM4,345
Contact: JW Power Marketing Sdn Bhd, Mediaforte (Malaysia)
Sdn Bhd, Adventure Multi Devices Sdn Bhd,
Build Technology Supply Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03)-2148 1307, (03)-7960 6868, (03)-7955 7788,
(03)-7773 0399
Info: my.msi.com

GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti

Memory: 11GB GDDR5X
Ports: 1x DVI, 2x DisplayPort, 2x HDMI
Slot Size: 2.5-slot
Dimensions: 325 x 140 x 48mm

3DMark Time Spy: 8,712 points

3DMark Fire Strike: 22,731 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme: 13,800 points
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra: 7,280 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

A Triple Threat
By Nixcn Ng

One of the best iterations of the GTX 1080 Ti

we’ve seen so far

G
etting all these high end graphics
cards this month is a dream come
true for us here at CHIP, and both
from different camps. You won’t see us
comparing them but we’ll definitely let you
know the best and worst parts of each
other. Coming in with a hefty weight of
almost 1.5kg is the MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
GAMING X TRIO.
The TRIO in its name stands for the triple
fans built into the cooling shroud. Also, RGB
is taking root even on graphics card, with
Mystic Light RGB scattered throughout the
cooling shroud of this GPU, including some
slight accent on the backplate. MSI calls
their three fan cooler TRI-FROZR, which
comes with their TORX 2.0 fans and the
ZeroFrozr technology, so you’ll have zero
noise from the TRIO when below 60-degrees
1,683MHz, the default profile on the other
hand is the Gaming Mode with a maximum
A trio of TORX 2.0 fans!
turbo clock of 1,657MHz. Then we have the
third mode Silent, which downclocks the card
further to reduce power consumption and
heat generation.
On the memory side the TRIO has a
massive 11GB of GDDR5X memory and a
memory bus of 352-bit, which means you
can pump up those textures, render distance,
anti-aliasing, and have a sick multi-monitor
setup all at once. To support all that you’ll
need dual 8-pin power connectors to power
Awesome backplate with embedded Mystic Light
the card, and you’ll also need at least a 600W
power supply to be safe, probably a bit more
overhead if you want to overclock it further.
But the most important factor is… Does
it game? Without any suspense, of course
it does. Its performance when it comes to + Beastly performance
Low temperatures
None

Celsius. games is amazing, definitely deserving to

The TRIO comes with three different core
profiles that modify the base and boost
clock of the card. In OC Mode, you’ll get the
highest factory overclock for the card at
be called one of the fastest graphics card
at the moment. With the TRIO you’ll have
no problems playing the latest games while
keeping your computer cool and silent.
CHIP CONCLUDES
What more can you ask for from a graphics
card? Performance, RGB, Cooling? All check!
What are you waiting for?

082 november 17 chip malaysia

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MSI Z370 GAMING

PRO CARBON
Price: RM970
Contact: JW Power Marketing Sdn Bhd, Mediaforte (Malaysia)
Sdn Bhd, Adventure Multi Devices Sdn Bhd,
Build Technology Supply Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 2148 1307, (03) 7960 6868, (03) 7955 7788,
(03) 7773 0399
Info: my.msi.com

Socket: LGA 1151

Chipset: Intel Z370
RAM Slots: 4
RAM: Max 64 GB (4000+ MHz on OC)
Connectivity: 1x Intel I219-V Gigabit LAN
Ports: 2x USB 2.0 Type A, 1x USB 3.1(Gen 2) Type-A, 1x
USB 3.1 Type-C, 4x USB 3.1(Gen 1) Type-A, 1x HDMI, 1x
Display Port
Other: 2-way NVIDIA SLI, 3-way AMD Crossfire
Size: ATX

PCMark8 Home: 4,316 points

PCMark8 Creative: 4,462 points
PCMark8 Work: 3,703 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

Gaming On
Carbon
By Rikco Shim

One of the motherboards from MSI’s Z370 line-up that

features some carbon looks
The Rear I/O with carbon shield

T
he Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon, as its name
suggests, comes with carbon fibre parts
around the motherboard, namely on the
rear I/O shield and chipset heatsink.
Made for intensive gaming, this motherboard
is endorsed by professional gamers and will
have no issue staying on for 24-hours for
those intense gaming sessions or raids. It has
multiple features that will help you in gaming,
such as Game Boost and Multi-GPU capabilities
on the motherboard. The BIOS is also easy to
use and can be configured to deliver greater
performance when gaming. Aside from that,
an Intel I219-V Gigabit LAN controller provides
exceptional online gaming experience with low
latency and better bandwidth management. To
further boost your build’s gaming capabilities, it
As for audio, it sports two Realtek ALC1220
Codec, the Audio Boost 4 that consists of a
HD audio processor with a built-in DAC, and
supports DSD Super Audio CD playback. It can
also support output devices with up to 600
ohms of impedance, while its Chemi-Con audio
capacitors help produce a warmer sound. Audio
Boost also protects your ears by eliminating
popping sounds when you plug or unplug your
audio devices, or when it’s switch on and off.
You can fit up to 64GB of DDR4 memory
on this board and overclock it to a whopping
4,000MHz if you tweak it correctly. A XMP LED Audio Boost 4 with Chemi-Con audio capacitors
highlight can also be seen on the board, so
you can physically see when the XMP Profile is
active.
As a board that is released the same time + Looks None

also supports 2-Way SLI and 3-Way Crossfire. In
addition, it is equipped with the MSI Mystic Light
utility that allows you to sync a plethora of other
RGB components with the board’s lighting, so
you show off your build’s colour in unison.
when Z370 is announced, it managed to keep
its footing against other heavy hitters in the
market right now. It should also be noted that
it did not run into any crashes or weird errors
during our testing.
CHIP CONCLUDES
Overall a great board that runs on the latest
Intel 8th gen processor and comes with
fantastic audio and gaming features.

chip malaysia november 17 083

 test lab

ASUS ROG Zephyrus

Price: RM15,999
Contact: Build Technology Supply Sdn Bhd,
Servex (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, ECS Astar Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 7955 3699, (03) 80246688, (03) 6286 8222
Info: www.build.com.my, www.servex.com.my,
www.ecsm.com.my

Operating System: Windows 10 Home

Display: 15.6-inch Full HD @ 120Hz
Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080
Connectivity: 1x USB 3.1 Type C Thunderbolt, 4x USB
3.0, 1x HDMI
Memory: 24GB DDR4
Storage: 1TB SSD
Others: Aura RGB backlit chiclet keyboard
Dimensions: 379 x 262 x 16.9 mm
Weight: 2.25 KG (with battery)

PCMARK8 Home: 4,163 points

PCMARK8 Creative: 5,183 points
PCMARK8 Work: 3,556 points
3DMark Timespy: 5,402 points
3DMark Firestrike Ultra: 4,049 points
3DMark Firestrike Extreme: 7,574 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

The New God

Of Wind
By Rikco Shim

The latest powerhouse gaming laptop from ASUS

T
he ASUS ROG Zephyrus is a name derived
from the God of the West Wind from
Greek mythology. It’s packaged in a black
box with red trims, and has several goodies
such as a wired mouse, stickers, and more
inside. The build of this laptop is a unique one.
When you prop the screen up, the bottom of
the laptop will be raised up as well, allowing
better air flow when you are heavily gaming.
Upon closer inspection, the stands that prop
up the body of the laptop seems quite sturdy,
but we’re worried about the lifespan of the
stands. Aside from that, the keyboard area of
this laptop is reduced in size in order to fit a
fan inside. When gaming, the fan becomes loud
and the area above the keyboard gets hot too,
resulting in the heat transferring to your palms.
On other gaming laptops, you will usually feel
uncomfortable with the heat under your wrists,
making gaming sessions an annoyance unless
you have a portable keyboard with you, but
ASUS solved this issue with style. The keyboard
area also features a trackpad for on-the-go
gaming, and can also be switched to a
numpad with a click of a button. We still would
recommend external accessories to game with, Illuminated keys on the keyboard along with the fan
area equipped with ROG logo
as some might struggle with the placement of
the keys and the tiny trackpad. We noticed that
the trackpad will not work occasionally when
you press down multiple keys during gaming.
The Zephyrus is made to game, so you can
expect it to have the latest and greatest in
specs. It comes with an i7-7700HQ processor,
24GB of RAM, and the holy grail of GPUs - the
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080. We tested the
The bottom of the laptop is raised up, giving ample
Zephyrus with some games that require heavy airflow to the laptop when used
firepower, such as Battlefield 1 and Witcher
3, and it managed to shrug them off without
fuss. Framerates were maintained throughout
our testing, even when the graphics were all + Slim & lightweight
Unique design
Price
Fingerprint magnet
pushed to Ultra.
Overall, this monster of a laptop is great
CHIP CONCLUDES
for gaming, portable and slim for its class. It An amazing laptop equipped with GTX 1080,
features state-of-the-art technologies behind for people who like to game and desire
its build and ASUS proves itself to be a force to something very portable, but it comes with a
be reckoned with. steep price.

084 november 17 chip malaysia

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ASUS ZenBook
Flip S
Price: RM6,699
Contact: Build Technology Supply Sdn Bhd,
Servex (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, ECS Astar Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 7955 3699, (03) 80246688, (03) 6286 8222
Info: www.build.com.my, www.servex.com.my,
www.ecsm.com.my

Operating System: Windows 10 Home

Display: 13.3-inch Full HD Touchscreen @ 60Hz
Processor: Intel Core i7-7500U
Connectivity: 2x USB 3.1 USB-C, 802.11ac Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth 4.1
Memory: 8GB DDR3
Storage: 512GB SSD
Others: Sleeve, Mini Dock, Stylus
Dimensions: 313 x 218 x 10.9 mm
Weight: 1.1 KG

PCMARK8 Home: 2,687 points

PCMARK8 Creative: 2,869 points
PCMARK8 Work: 3,211 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

Flipping Decent
By Rikco Shim

The thinnest convertible laptop in ASUS’ repertoire

T
he ZenBook Flip S is the latest
convertible laptop from ASUS. We
managed to get our hands on the
Royal Blue variant and the colour is dazzling.
With a gold finish on the ASUS logo and gold
Tent Mode.
The keyboard on the laptop is backlit and
features 1.0mm key travel, allowing you to
type comfortably and more accurately. It also Splashes of gold throughout the laptop, on the
sports a fingerprint reader on the side of the keyboard and trim

trim along the sides, using this laptop will
undoubtedly draw some eyes. The laptop is
decently built. It features a 13.3-inch Full HD
display with touchscreen capabilities, so you
can easily use it when converted into Stand
Mode, which disables the keyboard/touchpad.
It is also packed with ASUS technologies,
such as Splendid, to further boost the viewing
goodness of your movies and media.
However, it is not just a movie machine
device for easy unlocking, but if you wish
you can also configure Windows Hello on the
device so you can unlock the laptop using
your face.
Bundled together with the laptop is a mini
dock that features a USB 3.1 Type-C port, a
USB 3.0 Type-A port, and a full-sized HDMI
port that allows you to display your work or
images on a bigger screen. Besides that, it
also comes with the ASUS Pen that has 1,024 The mini-dock that comes bundled together

as it can be used for work as well. Weighing pressure levels and can sense force from as
slightly over 1KG, it is light and slim, and little as 10 grams to 300 grams. The ASUS
can be slotted easily in your backpack or Pen also works without a hitch on Windows Extremely slim and
messenger bag without weighing you down.
The Harman Kardon-certified speakers with
Ink. As for the specs of the device, it comes
in bundles with different configurations, such
+ lightweight
Royal Blue colour
variant is eye-catching
Price
Fingerprint magnet

ASUS SonicMaster Premium audio system
will further boost your audio listening
capabilities. The speakers are bottom firing,
so it might be slightly less audible when you
are watching your movies in Laptop Mode.
It works better when you are watching it in
as storage of up to 1TB SSD and as much as
16GB of RAM. The laptop is charged via its
USB-C port as well, so it is best to have an
additional accessory that supports more USB
ports if you wish to plug in more peripherals
to it.
CHIP CONCLUDES
Overall as a convertible laptop, it does the
job well. Portable, stylish, fast to boot, comes
with touchscreen capabilities on the beautiful
display, and topped with a decent battery life.

chip malaysia november 17 085

 test lab

ASUS ROG Strix

Z370-E Gaming
Price: TBA
Contact: ASUSTek Computer Malaysia
Phone: (03) 2131 6650
Info: www.asus.com/my

Socket: LGA 1151

Chipset: Intel Z370
RAM Slots: 4
Memory: 4000(O.C.)/3866(O.C.)/3733(O.C.)/3600(O.C
.)/3466(O.C.)/3400(O.C.)/3333(O.C.)/3300(O.C.)/320
0(O.C.)/3000(O.C.)/2800(O.C.)/2666/2400/2133 MHz
DDR4
Ports: 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x VGA, 1x LAN, 1x
ASUS WiFi GO! Module, 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C, 1x
USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A, 2x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A, 2x USB
2.0, 5x Audio port, 1x Optical (SPDIF), 2x PCIe 3.0 x16,
1x PCIe 3.0 x4, 4x PCIe x1, 6x SATA 6Gb/s, 2x M.2

PCMark Home: 4,254 points

PCMark Creative: 5,261 points
PCMark Work: 3,707 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:

Nominal Upgrade
By Matthew Yap

A new generation tends to have more to prove and here is

one of ASUS’ take on the Z370 platform

I
ntel’s new platform has been out for some
weeks now and reception has been mixed at
best. However, benchmarks generally show
notable performance improvements so it has
merits. Regardless, it’s here to stay and ASUS is
on the ball with its ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming.
As far as layout goes, this motherboard
really isn’t all that different from its
predecessors. Of course, ASUS has included
many of its newer features, such as the M.2
Heatsink. Spacing around the CPU socket is
ample, so you shouldn’t run into and RAM
clearance issues. There’s four DIMM slots, while
the two PCIe slots – that run in single x16 mode
or dual x8 for SLi or CrossFireX – have metal
chassis. Besides that, it has two headers
that support RGB LED strips and another for Having less USB ports is becoming a common sight,
though many would say it’s not something they
addressable strips. Like many of ASUS current welcome
motherboards, you’ll be able to sync the lighting
colours and patterns to the board’s owns.
I/O options are good here, but a bit lean on
the USB side. There’s a total of six USB ports,
one of which is a USB Type-C and two that
are the slower USB 2.0. For those instances
when your GPU fails, ASUS also included a VGA,
DisplayPort and HDMI port for video output. In
addition, it has an Ethernet port and a Wireless
module, the latter a common thing to see on
higher-end motherboards these days. One of the M.2 slot is covered by a heatsink, which also
Another feature that’s now quite common has some thermal pads on it to mitigate heat

brackets to reinforce them. In addition, this
motherboard has two M.2 slots, so you can use
two fast NVMe SSDs if you want. Note that
you’ll have to remove the lower slot’s heatsink
before you can install a module there.
is the support for 3D printed parts. With the
mounts on the motherboard, you can mount a
small fan to cool the M.2 SSD, considering that
a sixth fan header for that is included. M.2 heatsink
When it comes to overclocking, this board + Plenty of RGB
support
Low number of USBs

The ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming comes with does well enough. However, the higher
five fan headers, which is a decent amount. temperatures for Coffee Lake CPUs mean that CHIP CONCLUDES
It accommodates a water pump, two CPU extreme overclocking isn’t feasible without a A good motherboard if you’re looking for
fans, and two fans additional fans for your high-end cooling solution. something that’s decent in multiple areas.

086 november 17 chip malaysia

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ASUS ROG STRIX

RX VEGA64
Price: TBA
Contact: ASUSTek Computer Malaysia
Phone: (03) 2131 6650
Info: www.asus.com/my

GPU: AMD RX VEGA64

Memory: 8GB HBM2
Ports: 1x DVI, 2x HDMI, 2x DP
Slot Size: 2.5-slot
Dimensions: 273 x 140 x 43mm

3D Mark Time Spy: 6,727 points

Fire Strike Extreme: 9,435 points
Fire Strike Ultra: 5,252 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:

Unleash The STRIX

There’s nothing bad to say about the ROG STRIX RX VEGA64,
By Nixon Ng

it’s a solid graphic card with an eye out for people who love
RGB

R
OG is coming out full force with gaming
graphics cards packed with ASUS
exclusive technologies, and one of
their latest superstars is the ROG STRIX RX
cooling. The card also takes up 2.5-slots to
accommodate the larger heatsink, but should
be fine if you’re running a single graphics card.
On the back of the STRIX you’ll find a backplate A beautiful backplate on an awesome card

VEGA64. This flagship graphics card comes
with ASUS’ best technologies, even ASUS Aura
Sync RGB LED’s can be found on the cooling
shroud. This means additional synchronisation
options for modders to work with and greater
customisation available to everyone.
Cooling on the STRIX is excellent, keeping
cool throughout gaming and benchmarks, not
surprising as the cooling shroud houses three
full size fans and an incredibly thick heatsink.
The fans used are ASUS’ Patented Wing-Blade
Design and according to our ears they do a
pretty good job keeping the setup quiet. Not
only that, you can game in almost silence when
0dB kicks in, as the fans turn off when the
graphics card temperature goes below 55°.
that also sports the Aura Sync lightning.
In terms of output, they designed the STRIX
so it would be compatible for VR headsets,
giving it two DisplayPort and HDMI ports. This
is always welcomed as majority of monitors
still use HDMI, and the single DVI port also
adds some flexibility to the card. It requires
double 8-pin power connectors to power
properly and has a rated TDP of around 295W,
so you’ll probably need a power supply with at
FanConnect II adds a new way of cooling
least 600W to run it, or higher if you want to
overclock it comfortably.
When it comes to performance the STRIX is
a beast, clocking in average frames surpassing
Performance
60FPS easily on 1080p games. If you want
to game on 1080p with no bottle neck at all + FanConnect II
Low temperatures
None

Something interesting to look at is ASUS’
FanConnect II, which features two 4-pin
headers that allow you to connect fans to your
graphic card, and connected fans reference
both GPU and CPU temperatures for optimal
then this graphics card is the way to go, but of
course when you get a card this powerful you’ll
be looking at 4K gaming as well. The STRIX
holds its own well in the realm of 4K gaming,
and of course in VR gaming as well.
CHIP CONCLUDES
An amazing card with great performance and
cooling, not to mention LED customisability
with Aura Sync and VR-ready capabilities.

chip malaysia november 17 087

 test lab

GIGABYTE
Z370 AORUS
Price: RM1,299
Contact: Nation-Tech Sdn Bhd,
Ban Leong Technologies Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03)-4280 6636, (03)-79566300
Info: www.gigabyte.my

Socket: LGA1151
CPU: Intel Z370
RAM Slots: 4
RAM Type: DDR4
Ports: 1x DP, 1x HDMI, 5x USB 3.1 Gen1, 1x USB Type-C
USB 3.1 Gen2, 1x USB Type-A 3.1 Gen2, 2x RJ-45, 1x
SPDIF, 5x audio jack

PCMark 8 (Home): 4,366 points

PCMark 8 (Creative): 5,262 points
PCMark 8 (Work): 3,656 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

A Shining Star
By Nixon Ng

The GIGABYTE Z370 AUROS Gaming 7 hits the mark,

whether it comes to performance or looking good

W
ith the release of Coffee Lake
processors, motherboard
manufacturers are hard at work
to bring the next level of performance to
gamers and enthusiasts alike. We were
definitely excited to see what they were
going to throw at us. Then our prayers were
answered when we found the GIGABYTE
Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 sitting in our office.
As you would expect, the motherboard
uses the latest Intel Z370 chipset that
sports a new LGA1151 socket variant. The
socket had to be made to match the new
power requirements of the Coffee Lake
processors, which now have an increased
core count. This means you won’t be able
to use older processors in this motherboard
even though the processors can physically
RAM. It also supports memory ranging from
2,133-2,666MHz and up to 4,133MHz when
overclocked. When it comes to storage,
other than the six SATA 6Gb/s sockets, you
also get 3 M.2 connectors that are capable
of RAID 0, offering speeds faster than GIGABYTE’s RGB FUSION LED’s are all over the place!
before. There’s also support for Intel Optane
Memory, which acts like a cache drive to
boost your storage significantly.
An important factor we look for in a
motherboard is a wide range of connectivity
in its I/O back panel, and we weren’t
disappointed. On the back you’ll find all the
important bits like a DisplayPort and HDMI
port, not to mention five USB 3.1 Gen1 ports.
Then you have the USB Type-C and USB3.1
Gen2 Type-A port. To make it interesting the Two M.2 slots here and another up top for some RAID
motherboard has two LAN ports, one Intel 0 goodness

fit in the sockets. After setting up
the motherboard we were greeted by
GIGABYTE’s RGB Fusion, which lit up the
entire motherboard. The LED’s were placed
Gigabit LAN chip and the other is a Rivet
Networks Killer E2500 LAN chip.
Of course, with a Z370 motherboard
you’re expecting to overclock, and with
+ Overall design
Feature packed
None

across the motherboard and we think that
modders will have a great time customising
with it.
Sporting four DDR4 DIMM sockets,
this motherboard supports dual channel
memory configurations and up to 64GB of
GIGABYTE’s EasyTune interface you’ll be able
to overclock your system in a single click.
So even if you’re a beginner to overclocking
you’ll be able to get that extra boost in
performance without hassle, even while
you’re still learning the ropes.
CHIP CONCLUDES
Modders will find themselves in paradise
with the RGB LED’s all over the board, while
even gamers and enthusiasts will be able to
appreciate the aesthetics and performance
the AORUS Gaming 7 brings with it.

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Intel Core
i5-8400
Price: TBC
Contact: Intel Malaysia
Info: www.intel.com

Architecture: Coffee Lake

Process: 14nm
Base Clock: 2.8GHz
Boost Clock: 4.0GHz
Cache: 9MB
TDP: 65W

Cinebench: 950cb
PCMark 8 (Home): 4,366 points
PCMark 8 (Creative): 5,262 points
PCMark 8 (Work): 3,656 points
Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

Have A Coffee
By The Lake
By Nixon Ng

Intel takes a step in the right direction with Coffee Lake,

helping to further pave the way for multi-core optimisation

T
he processor war has been hot
with the release of AMD’s Ryzen
processors, and nothing is better than
competition as motivation to outdo each
other. After much wait the new Coffee Lake
processor from Intel has been launched this
month, and we’re lucky enough to get our
hands on the Intel Core i5-8400.
The launch of Coffee Lake is a pretty
big deal for the fact that Coffee Lake has
increased the core count across their
i-Series processors. The i3 is now a quad-
core processor from dual-core, while the
i5 and i7 processors are now hexa-core
processors. The Z370 chipset also uses a
new LGA1151 socket, which is physically
similar to the Z270 but doesn’t support older
clock and boost clock of 1.05GHz, as well
as a 9MB L3 cache. When you add all of Not overclockable but has quite a huge boost clock
that, along with the fact that the TDP is just
65W, the Core i5-8400 becomes an excellent
choice for building an office PC or HTPC.
Performance wise the 8400 definitely
does it job, cranking in scores that we
expected. With six true cores, consumers are
able to get more core counts for lower prices
and we might see developers start putting
more effort into multi-core optimisation.
Temperature wise the 8400 idles at 40°C but
when stressed it could hit temps of up to
80°C. Fortunately, these numbers are based
on Furmark torture tests and you’re more
likely to see an average of 60-70°C on heavy Can’t use this chip with older chipsets despite being
loads and gaming. able to physically fit

processors so it’s important to note that. As
for this processor itself, the Intel i5-8400 is
targeted for the average consumer.
Clocking in with a basic core clock of
If you’re getting the 8400 for gaming you
won’t be bottlenecked when playing games
like DotA2 and LoL, but if you’re aiming to
play some triple A titles you might have to + Performance
Value
None

2.8GHz, the 8400 can hit higher clock speeds
of 4.0GHz when its turbo kicks in. It also
supports DDR4-2666MHz memory natively.
For its integrated graphics, it uses a UHD
Graphics 630 that sports a 350MHz base
look at something with higher performance
for the best experience. But just the 8400
alone without a dedicated graphics card is
still suitable for watching movies or doing
office work.
CHIP CONCLUDES
If you’re on a budget, the i5-8400 is a great
choice with its true six cores, which used to
be found only on higher end processors.

chip malaysia november 17 089

 test lab

GIGABYTE X399
Designare EX
Price: RM1,949
Contact: Nation-Tech Sdn. Bhd.,
Ban Leong Technologies Sdn. Bhd.
Phone: (03) 4280 6636, (03) 79566300
Info: www.gigabyte.my

Socket: TR4
Chipset: AMD X399
RAM Slots: 8
Memory: 3600+(OC)/3466(OC)/3333(OC)/3200(OC)/2
933(OC)/2667*/2400/2133 DDR4
Ports: 1x PS/2 keyboard/mouse, 2x Gigabit LAN, 1x
WiFi, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C, 1x USB 3.1 Type-A, 5x USB 3.0,
5x Audio ports, 1x Optical (SPDIF), 1x DisplayPort 1.2,
1x HDMI 1.4, 1x PCIe x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x8, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4,
3x PCIe 3.0 x1, 6x SATA 6Gb/s, 3x SATA Express, 2x M.2
socket 3, 1x U.2 connector

PCMark 8 Home: 3,858 points

PCMark 8 Creative: N/A
PCMark 8 Work: 3,433 points

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

Designed To Excel
By Matthew Yap

GIGABYTE once again pulled through, providing PC

enthusiasts with a great option

T
he price-to-performance ratio of a
Threadripper CPU is highly appealing
for professional work, so the platform
supporting it has to be just as appealing. But
does GIGABYTE’s X399 Designare EX tick all the
right boxes?
As expected of a higher-end model, the
X399 Designare EX came in a fancy box with
plenty of extras inside. This includes some
Velcro straps, a bunch of stickers, two risers for
the RGB headers, an SLi bridge, one M.2-to-U.2
converter, and the external WiFi module.
It has a more metallic look thanks to
the silver colour, which reflects the lighting
from other components when the system is
switched on. A shroud covers the I/O port and
audio chipset here, while RGB LEDs are spread
across the entire unit.
You’ll find eight DIMM slots and five PCIe
slots on this motherboard. Two of the PCIe
slots run on x16, another two on x8 and the
last on x4. At a total of 52 PCIe lanes taken,
this leaves the last 12 for the three M.2 slots.
As you can see, it makes full use of the 64 PCIe
lanes that the platform can deliver, so that all
your components can have enough bandwidth.
Speaking of M.2 slots, all three have a small
heatsink with thermal pad attach, but the third A backplate can be found at the back of the
motherboard, to ensure that the board won’t flex
slot can only support shorter modules. Besides
the above, there’s also eight SATA slots and
eight fan headers installed, the latter enough
for the best cooling solutions you can think of.
While some X399 have been reported to
be difficult to work with, we didn’t have much
issues getting this one setup and running;
the torque screws didn’t take much effort, so
installing it was quick. Other than that, note
that using the first PCIe slot effectively blocks
the first M.2 slot. Users can opt for installing
Each M.2 slot comes with its own heatsink and thermal
their GPU on the second slot, but this blocks the pad
third PCIe instead. Of course, a PCIe riser can be
used to avoid this problem.
On to performance, the benchmarks scores
for this board wasn’t high because the set of + Lots of I/O
Plenty of fan headers
Limited RAM
compatibility
RAMs we could use on it weren’t the best.
Like its mainstream Ryzen counterpart, the
CHIP CONCLUDES
Threadripper CPUs thrive on higher RAM Other than some clearance issues with the
clockspeeds. With the right module, the X399 PCIe and M.2 slots, this motherboard is one
Designare EX can easily be one of the top of the best X399 boards around – if you can
performing motherboards available to date. afford the price that is.

090 november 17 chip malaysia

 test lab

D-Link
PowerLine AV2
1000 WiFi AC
Price: RM340
Contact: Advancenet Technology Sdn. Bhd., Ingram Micro Sdn.
Bhd., Lab Seven (M) Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 8070 3633, (03) 7952 8188, (03) 80758811
Info: www.dlink.com.my

Ports: 1x LAN port

Network Standard: IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 1901,
HomePlug AV2.1/AV2, IEEE 802.11ac
Encryption: 128-bit AES Data Encryption
Max PHY Rate: 1000Mbps
Data Rate: 10/100/1000 Mbps (auto negotiation)
Dimensions: 114 x 59 x 38 mm, 140 x 68 x 50 mm
(WiFi AP)
Weight: 195g

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

Effective Network
Extension
By Matthew Yap

PoE devices have never been commonly used by consumers,

but D-Link makes sure that it has one of the best around if
you need it

N
etworking brands have many solutions
to solve WiFi dead zones, some that
we’ve reviewed before. This time
around, D-Link sent us the PowerLine AV2 1000
WiFi-AC1200 Starter Kit for us to take a look at.
The PowerLineAV2 1000 isn’t new to us
since we reviewed the Ethernet-port-only
variant earlier this year. But unlike that starter
kit, this one has a DHP-W610AV and DHP-
P610AV combination. The former is essentially
used as a wireless access point, while the latter
is a smaller PoE adapter. Inside the box is a
configuration card, the quick installation guide,
a few other miscellaneous documents, and two
Ethernet cables.
For the DHP-P610AV, you’ll find that it’s
similar to the one we reviewed before: A power
socket passthrough at the front, three LED
indicators below it, and an Ethernet port located
is weak or dead. It has two WiFi antenna on its
sides, as well as an On/Off switch, WPS button, A Simple Connect button can be found at the bottom of
the PoE unit
reset switch and an Ethernet port. What it
lacks is a power socket passthrough, though
considering its function D-Link may have opt to
drop it for a more stable WiFi signal.
To install it, the DHP-P610AV must first be
connected to a wall socket near your router and
then connected to it. Next, plug the DHP-
W610AV unit to a wall socket in the area you
want WiFi to be strengthened. After that, plug
a PC to it or use the WiFi to access its interface,
then setup as required. For the last step, you’ll
Besides an Ethernet port, there’s also an on/off switch
be prompted to press the Simple Connect and reset button on the wireless unit
button on both units to connect them.
The PowerLine AV2 1000 Starter Kit isn’t
complicated to use and its performance is
quite good. D-Link mentioned a noise filter that
reduces electric noise and we did notice that it + WiFi AP included
Fast
None

on the right side of the device. There’s also a
Simple Connect button at the bottom, which
works to quickly setup the connection.
The DHP-W610AV a noticeably larger device
that you’ll want to use in places where the WiFi
performs consistently. Another great thing is
that while it doesn’t achieve its max 1-Gigabit
speed often, it doesn’t dip in performance much
unless you connect a power extension with too
many things plugged to it.
CHIP CONCLUDES
Much better than just two identical Ethernet-
only PoE devices, offering some flexibility by
way of WiFi.

chip malaysia november 17 091

 test lab

DJI Spark
Price: RM2,288
Contact: ECS Astar Sdn Bhd
Phone: (03) 6286 8222
Info: www.ecsm.com.my

Sensor: 1/2.3-inch CMOS @ 12-megapixel

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Full HD @ 30p
Max Speed: 50 kph in Sport Mode without wind
Max Flight Time: 16 minutes
Connectivity: Wi-Fi @ 100m (Distance) / 50m (Height)
Storage: Max 64GB microSD
Satellite Positioning System: GPS/GLONASS
Dimensions: 143 x 143 x 55 mm
Weight: 300g (including battery and propellers)

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

A Little Spark
In Your Hands
By Rikco Shim

The latest soda can-sized drone can easily fit in your

backpack for those impromptu drone sessions

T
he DJI Spark is a follow up to the
amazing Mavic, and this time it comes
in a smaller form factor along with
some new additions that makes it a good DJI
drone for beginners to get their hands on. It
can be controlled via gestures or using your
smartphone or drone controller. Simply just
tap the power button, then have it lift off
your palm once it has your face recognition
down to a pat. Using gestures, you can pan
the drone from left to right, or up and down.
Once you have the drone at the position you
desire, simply pose a picture frame with your
fingers and the drone will snap a picture.
Flying the Spark with your smartphone
is also very easy. Simply connect it to your
DJI GO 4 app, then connect to the drone via
Wi-Fi, and voila - the setup is done and
you are ready to fly. You will have to find a
suitable location to fly the drone and make
sure that it is not raining, in order to keep
your drone in tip-top condition. The battery
you are good to go. During our tests, we’ve
used it a few times and found that it usually
stopped flying at about 50%, and charges up
The DJI Spark flying, equipped with the Propeller Guards
fully in less than an hour. from Fly More Combo
You can take pictures using the
smartphone, and if you do not have a
microSD card, do not fret as the pictures
taken can be shared to the DJI GO 4 app,
which you can then share to your family and
friends. As the Spark is a miniature version
of the other available drones, the picture
quality of the Spark is not of particularly
high quality.But with some trial and error,
you can definitely get a smooth video out
of the Spark. To make it even better, DJI has
given the Spark a few QuickShot abilities A screenshot taken before the flight using a Samsung
Galaxy S7
such as ‘‘Rocket”, which propels the drone
upwards, or ‘‘Helix” to make the drone
automatically fly upward and spiral around
the subject.
Overall, the Spark is a drone that is
made for convenience. Simply take it out,
+ Lightweight
Convenient
Could have a
better camera

life of the Spark is decent, clocking at about
16 minutes, and charging it is also simple. If
you did not purchase the ‘‘Fly More” combo,
which comes with a charging hub, just plug
it into your standard micro-USB charger and
lift off and take a snap in less than a few
minutes, this enables you to capture those
impromptu moments of life, the beauty of
nature and so on, without wasting too much
time on the setup.
CHIP CONCLUDES
The DJI Spark offers you what most drones
can’t do, and that is convenience – all in the
palm of your hands. You can set up and fly, all
within a few minutes.

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 test lab

iKANOO i708
Price: RM315
Contact: ICMD Company Limited
Info: www.icmdworld.com

Frequency Response: 90 – 20,000Hz

Output Power: 6W x 2
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, 3.5mm
Dimensions: 216 x 89.5 x 84mm

Performance:
Features:
Design:
Value:

The Clothed Diva

By Nixon Ng

Is that a piece of décor or is that a speaker? How about

both!

W
hen you’re out on holiday or even
just a road trip, you can’t avoid
playing music. Whether camping
in the forest or chilling by the beach, music
makes everything better. Headphones aren’t
going to work in a group, so it’s time to
pull out your brand spanking new portable
Bluetooth speaker! Imagine if the speaker
you pulled out was the iKANOO i708?
The iKANOO i708 is a simple device,
with only just a few buttons on top to
control music playback, so you’ll be listening
to your tracks in no time. Setup is fairly
simple, switch the device on and then pair
it with a Bluetooth enabled device like your
smartphone. Once pairing is complete that’s
basically it. If you don’t have a Bluetooth
get. The cloth surface gives it a luxurious
vibe and allows it to fit on top of tabletops
or shelves and still look like great décor.
Speaking of durability the i708 is slightly
weighty giving a solid feel and would
take some effort to knock it off a surface.
Keeping the speaker powered is a 4,000mAh
It charges via micro USB and you can also plug in your
rechargeable Li-Ion battery, providing music music through the AUX
playback for hours before requiring another
charge.
So it looks good, it lasts long, how
about what it sounds like? We tried a wide
variety of music genres and it sounds great
across all genres, but in a group what’s also
important is volume, and volume was not a
problem when we cranked it up all the way.
Put it in the middle or in the corner of your + Aesthetics
Easy to use
None

device you can always use the AUX port on
the side, which requires a regular 3.5mm
cable, to connect your device to the speaker.
Design wise the i708 looks like something
you’d have to pay 2-3 times its price to
room and it’ll still sound good. In terms of
portability, you won’t be putting it into your
purse anytime soon. But it’ll fit nicely at the
bottom or on the top of your backpack when
you’re out and about.
CHIP CONCLUDES
Put it in the corner, carry it about, or use it as
décor, the iKANOO i708 will fit anywhere and
play your tunes as well as it looks.

chip malaysia november 17 093

 lite & leisure
PLAY
Blast From A Geek’s Past
Nostalgia can become a strong emotion when it comes to gaming, so join us as we travel
back in time to reminisce and play the games of days long past By Nixon Ng
Phoenix Wright : Ace Attorney
A
little history lesson for those who are
new to the Ace Attorney series, quite
a bit of people have played the Ace
Attorney and after asking a lot of people,
it seems that everyone didn’t know that
the first game was actually released on the
Game Boy Advance, whereas people thought
094 november 17 chip malaysia
it was on the Nintendo DS. Just a little fun
fact before we get into the game.
Phoenix Wright : Ace Attorney is a game
you’ll keep coming back for more, because
who doesn’t love a good mystery? In each
'Chapter' you’ll be thrown right into the
middle of a crime and it’s your job to prove
your client’s innocence. The game puts
you into the shoes of the titular character
Phoenix Wright as you work together with
your mentor Mia Fey to save your best
friend, Larry Butz, in the first chapter of the
game.
On the NDS you navigate through the
game with the bottom half, which forwards
the text and also acts as your “Inventory'.
You also have access to your Court Records.
These are your most important tool for
winning cases, as the Court Records keep
all your evidence as well as profiles of those
involved in the case. We would like to stress
just how important the Courts Record is,
because without it you’re basically just
shooting blind. When you’re not currently
in a trial you’ll be given the opportunity to
travel around to key locations, which gives
you access to witnesses and the chance to
find evidence.
You will have to be meticulous during
your search for evidence, because you can
easily leave an important piece of evidence
behind. The game doesn’t punish if you
The characters have fun interactions with each
other so there’s never a dull moment

Wipe that cocky smirk of that guys face by finding faults in his testimony
do forget, instead you’ll have to collect all
the key evidence required before you’ll be
allowed to proceed to the trial. So if you
haven’t reached the next trial it means you
haven’t collected all the key ingredients for
your soup of justice. Everything you hear
from witnesses is important to remember,
and we can’t count how many times we
missed out on contradictions because we
weren't paying attention.
Sometimes it’s good to think outside the
box, because even when you’re convinced
that you know who the killer is and how
he did it, you need to piece together the
evidence to prove it. You have to do it step
by step or else you’ll get a penalty, it reflects
real life where your opinions may not match
others, so you’ll have to use facts and
evidence to steer them in the right direction.
To get those contradictions out, you’ll have
to cross examine those on the stand and
present evidence that will contradict their
statements.
Slowly you’ll break apart the guilty party’s
statements and begin to figure out the
real story behind what happened. There’s
no difficulty level on this game, but we can
lite & leisure
When you see an opportunity arise it’s time to take action
ensure that you’ll be busting your heads we're willing to replay again from the start,
at certain parts of the game. When you because the story is just that good.
reach the point where excitement is at its
peak, the music pulls you into the
moment and you’ll feel a rush.
When you finally win the trial and
prove your client’s innocence, it’s
the best feeling ever.
Going back to how the game
Phoenix
keeps you from proceeding to the
trial, there will be times where you
Wright : Ace
will spend a long time searching
for evidence that you’ve missed.
Attorney
Genre: Visual novel
When that happens the music Developer: Capcom
doesn’t change, as great as the Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
soundtrack is it will get repetitive Phoenix_Wright:_Ace_Attorney
Platform: GBA, NDS, Wii, PC, iOS, Android,
easily. The only other is when
3DS
something comes up and you
forget or put the game aside. A story that pulls
you in
Then, you come back a few weeks
or months later and realise you’ve
+ Fun characters
Challenging - Repetitive music
Great at controlling
forgotten everything and won’t be atmosphere
able to continue where you left
Gameplay:
off, because you’ve forgotten all Sound:
the evidence and testimonies that Replayability:
link to each other. On the bright
side, Phoenix Wright is a game
chip malaysia november 17 095
 lite & leisure
PLAY
Story Retold Through Blood-
Stained Fists
Yakuza Kiwami takes us back to the first Yakuza game in style
By Rikco Shim
Y
akuza Kiwami is the remake of the
original Yakuza 1, except with better
graphics, improved combat system,
more things to do and a slightly tweaked
storyline. The story revolves around Kazuma
Kiryu, the Dragon of the Dojima Family.
Above the Dojima Family, there's the Tojo
Clan, which is the largest clan in Kanto, and
is made up of more than 30,000 men. The
story kicks off when Yumi, Kiryu’s close
friend was kidnapped by Sohei Dojima, the
Patriarch of the Dojima Family. When Kiryu
096 november 17 chip malaysia
finally finds Sohei Dojima, he stumbles onto
Nishikiyama, Kiryu’s best friend, holding a
smoking gun and standing over the dead
body of Dojima.
Kiryu takes the blame and was given a
10-year sentence. As part of his sentence,
he is expelled by the Tojo Clan. After he
completes his sentence, he is dropped into
an unfamiliar world where the Tojo Clan is
in turmoil. Ten billion yen had went missing
from the Clan and Yumi was missing as well.
It is your job as Kiryu to find out where Yumi
is and find out where the money disappeared
to.
The world of Yakuza Kiwami is often
cluttered, closed off and strange, to depict
the Japanese lifestyle at that time. There
is a plethora of interesting characters in
the game, whether as NPCs to beat up, or
NPCs to play mini-games with - all staples
of the Yakuza series. You will often stumble
into eccentric characters that you can’t help
but laugh at and then beat them up to a
pulp. Majima Everywhere is a mode newly
 lite & leisure

A comparison of Yakuza 1 (2006) and Yakuza Kiwami (2017)

implemented into this remake. Goro Majima,
one of Kiryu’s rival, will roam the streets
and will force Kiryu to battle him when
encountered. The purpose of this mode is
to make Kiryu regain his Dragon skills after
his 10-year stint in jail. The mode is fun
and forces you to constantly be in tip top
condition if you wish to win, as the fights
increase in difficulty the more times you
fight him.
Hostess bars, clubs, gambling dens,
hidden casinos, batting courts, SEGA
arcades and more are all sprawled around
the world. So, if you are tired of beating
up random Yakuza that come up to you
looking for a fight, you can take a load off
to play Blackjack, Mahjong, Pool and even
sing some Karaoke. The Yakuza series is
known for the crazy amount of mini-games
that you can take on whenever you feel like
it. For example, there's MesuKing: Battle
Bug Beauties, a rock-paper-scissors game
disguised as a card game. In MesuKing, your
cards are the form of characters or move-
sets. The characters are ladies dressed as
insects, hence the name Battle Bug Beauties.
In this mini game, you can collect rare move-
sets with stronger power the more you play
and the more you progress in the story.
Overall, this game is priced cheaper than
regular triple-A titles due to the nature of
it being a remake, so it is not a bad idea to
pick it up now and be lost in the world of
crime. Yakuza Kiwami is an adventure game,
disguised as a brawler and a drama. Again,
if you have never played a Yakuza game
before, this is the time to do so. You should
also pick up Yakuza 0, a game released in
early 2017, which serves as a prequel to this
game. Yakuza Kiwami 2 is also in the making
and is currently pegged for release in Japan
for the PlayStation 4 on December 2017.
No current news for worldwide release, but
considering Kiwami’s success, it is bound to
come soon.

Yakuza
Kiwami
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: SEGA
Info: http://yakuza.sega.com/kiwami/home.
html
System Requirements Platform: PlayStation 4

Fights can get

A plethora of mini- boring
games Kiryu-
+ Plenty of side
quests
- saaaaaaaaan
(Majima Sensor
Great storyline gets triggered too
often)

Gameplay:
Sound:
Replayability:
Fighting some random enemies

chip malaysia november 17 097

 lite & leisure

PLAY

Tokyo Games Show 2017

The capital of Japan once again played host to the annual Tokyo Games Show (TGS),
bringing with it a host of exciting demos and announcements By Matthew Yap

E
very year, TGS marks one of the last major gaming events of the year, showing the world what to expect from games that were teased
or revealed over the months. This year, demos for a few highly anticipated titles were on ground. Specifically, there’s Capcom’s Monster
Hunter World, Koei Tecmo’s Fire Emblem Musou, Bandai Namco’s Code Vein, and much more. Below are some notable highlights and
demos from the event.

Detroit: Become Human

The PlayStation booth is once again one of
the biggest this year, with multiple games to
demo. Among them, an exclusive at the event
was the demo for Detroit: Become Human. A
new trailer was revealed, but the demo was
largely the same. In it, you get to play the
android known as Connor – one of the game’s
three protagonist. If you’ve seen earlier
trailers, this is the case where he has to
negotiate with a rogue android in a hostage
situation. The players choices and actions in
game can greatly affect the outcome of the
situation, such as the scenario ending with
you saving the hostage or not.

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 lite & leisure

Dragon Ball FighterZ

First debuting at this year’s E3, Dragon Ball
FighterZ was available for demo at TGS
with all the updates given so far. One of
it is the reveal of Android 21, an all-new
original character designed for this game,
as well as the Super Saiyan Blue versions of
Goku and Vegeta. We also got to see Krillin,
Piccolo, Android 17 and 18, and many other
characters. The roster is slowly expanding
into what should hopefully be a robust
lineup when the game finally releases next
year. Besides the additions to the roster, a
new story mode was also revealed.

Code Vein
Code Vein is Bandai Namco’s own take
on the Soulsbourne genre and we got to
personally try this game out in a 20-minute
demo. In it, you get to swap between
three weapon types, fight in a cave full of
monsters that will mob you, as well as die
against a boss battle that had far too many
pattern changes for our liking. In terms of
aesthetics and mood, the game feels a lot
like Nioh or Bloodbourne, but certainly plays
quite differently. A new character was also
introduced and was present in the demo as
a companion character.

Monster Hunter
After a long absence from the platform, the
series returns to the Sony PlayStation with
a title that’s set to rope in a lot of players
due to it being available for the PC later
this year. This time around, instructional
videos for aspects like the weapons have
been included into the game to make
it easier for newcomers. New facilities
were also introduced at TGS, such as the
Ecology Research Station that improves the
Scoutflies scouting speed, or the Training
Area to practice using the weapons in the
game.

chip malaysia november 17 099

 lite & leisure

PLAY

Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite

Launched not long ago, Marvel vs Capcom:
Infinite is already getting DLCs in the
works from Capcom. In the new DLC, the
Monster Hunter series makes its way into
the game with a female character simply
named "Monster Hunter”. The DLC trailer
also revealed that Sigma from the Megaman
X series, as well as Black Panther, Black
Widow, Venom and Winter Soldier from the
Marvel universe, who will all be added to the
roster later this year.

Fire Emblem Warriors

Many TGS visitors flocked to Koei
Tecmo’s booth to have a crack at the new
Fire Emblem Warriors. Celica – a new
character – was revealed, along with the
new Weapon Awakening, Musou Attack
and Bond Conversations system. Being a
typical Musou style game, the game didn’t
really offer anything groundbreakingly new,
other than having the Fire Emblem twist
of giving tactical commands on the fly. Of
course, the rock-paper-scissor nature of
the series’ weapon system is in place as
well. Regardless, Fire Emblem fans who like
to play simple hack-n-slash will definitely
enjoy Fire Emblem Warriors.

Atelier Lydie & Soeur

Set to be released later this year, the new
Atelier Lydie & Souer: Alchemist of the
Mysterious Painting was also available for
demo. The 15-minute demo showcased
some of the game’s exploration, which
includes the usual material gathering,
general combat, and a boss battle to top
it off. Featuring dual-protagonists Lydie
and Soeur, this game has flashy graphics,
colourful world areas and a slice-of-life
feel to it. As a whole package, it’s not all
that different from its predecessors and we
continue to bemoan the departure of more
serious titles like Mana Khemia.

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 lite & leisure

Gran Turismo Sport

Gran Turismo Sport is a game we first got
to see the demo at PlayStation Experience a
few months ago and we got to see more of
it at TGS 2017. Made to be a new generation
of Gran Turismo (hence it not being Gran
Turismo 7), Polyphony plans to get into the
e-sports scene with the game’s online racing
mode. This time around, they’ve removed the
dynamic weather system, but players will
get to change the time of the day before a
race. Polyphony Digital has also mentioned
that there will be a total of 177 cars and 19
locations.

A Certain Magical Virtual-On

Some may remember the game being in the
arcades close to two decades ago, but when
we first got news that Virtual-On would be
reappearing we were surprised. Based on
a crossover novel from last year, A Certain
Magical Virtual-On has characters from A
Certain Magical Index piloting the robots in
Virtual-On to compete in a contest. Leaving
that aside, the gameplay itself doesn’t really
stray much from how the original plays.
However, any Virtual-On game – especially if
it’ll have updated graphics – will be welcome
by old fans of the game.

Itadaki Street Dragon Quest &

Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary
Love a game of Monopoly? Then the
upcoming edition of Itadaki Street (or
Fortune Street as it’s known in the West)
should interest you. Square Enix showcased
the Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy 30th
Anniversary at TGS 2017 and as expected,
it’ll feature characters from the two series.
Unlike a standard game of Monopoly,
players get to choose to go left or right from
their current spot and maps have different
shapes, rather than the basic square.

chip malaysia november 17 101

 lite & leisure

E-SPORTS NEWS

E-Sports Express
Latest E-sports updates from the region and around the world By Matthew Yap, Nixon Ng & Rikco Shim

ESL One set to

return to Genting in
2018
When Malaysian fans got
a taste of their first real
international Dota 2 event
with ESL One Genting at
the start of 2017, there was
hardly anyone who didn’t
want an encore. That’s why
ESL has decided to do so,
with ESL One Genting 2018
once again to be hosted at
Genting’s Arena of Stars.
Tickets have begun selling,
with the Early Bird tickets
already sold out. Another
three round of ticket sales
will be held between now
and the day of the event, so
look out for those if you’re
interested.

Valve no longer
supports non-
official streamers
For a long time, there have
been people who stream
Dota 2 tournaments
without getting the
permission of official
organisers or Valve. This
is done by watching the
tournament in-game – by
buying the ticket – then
streaming it normally
on YouTube or Twitch.
StarLadder has begun to
issue DMCA’s to streamers
who do so, while Valve has finally taken an official stance as well.
"We believe that anyone should be able to broadcast a match from DotaTV for their audience. However, we don’t think they should do so in a
commercial manner or in a way that directly competes with the tournament organiser’s stream,” read the official statement. This means that popular
streamers are not allowed to use things like ads or branding overlays when they run such streams.

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 lite & leisure

Mineski wins first Dota 2

Minor
Dota 2’s professional circuit has
evolved into a new form after
Valve’s decision to implement the
Minors. This started off with the
third season of the StarLadder
i-League Invitational, which Team
Liquid won – beating Mineski to
take the crown. Now, Mineski has
defeated LGD Gaming in the finals
of the PGL Bucharest to take first
place. With this, Mineski tops the
Pro Circuit point rankings at 720
points.

Execration are champions of The

Major League
Locally hosted The Major League, a Dota 2
tournament hosted by Celcom, has ended
with Team Execration as the winners. After
regrouping from their dismal performance at
this year’s The International, Execration’s new
roster pulled off many good results and proved
themselves a stable roster. They beat local
favourites – Fnatic – before taking out EHOME in
the grand finals.

First ever SEA Shadowverse

tournament
This year’s GameStart saw the hosting of
the SEA Mobile Major 2017, which included a
tournament and demo area for Cygames CCG
– Shadowverse. At the event, newcomers get
to try the game and be rewarded with real card
packs each containing a Legendary card from
the game. The tournament was also an exciting
highlight for SEA gamers who play the game, as
it featured a respectable prize pool of 5,000 US
Dollars (approx. RM21,163). After two days of
games, the player known as ‘Riripwn’ emerged
as the grand prize winner.

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 lite & leisure

E-SPORTS NEWS

olofmeister is now FaZe-ing

With the recent signing of GuardiaN
from Natus Vincere, FaZe is not yet
finished with capturing star talents
for their team yet. The newest signing
is in the form of Olof ‘olofmeister’
Kajbjer, replacing Fabien ‘kioShima’
Fiey. olofmeister has been a long-time
member of Fnatic’s roster.
In a post, he wrote: "As tough of a
decision it was to leave Fnatic, a team
that I will always carry with me in my
heart, as easy as it was to decide on the
team I wanted to join – FaZe. FaZe is an
incredible organisation with fantastic
fans and above all a super talented and hungry team with players I admire, view as friends and share the same commitment and goals in becoming
the world’s best at Counter-Strike.”
As of 23rd of October, FaZe is ranked the #1 team on HLTV, as they recently won ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2017, beating Astralis 2:0.

Malaysia’s first GeForce certified iCafe

The Pantheon, Malaysia’s very first NVIDIA GeForce GTX-certified
Platinum eSports Arena, and iCafe was launched on the 24th of
October. This venue houses a whopping 116 PCs equipped with
GTX 1060 or higher PCs with 27-inch and 144Hz monitors, as
well as components and peripherals from brands such as NVIDIA,
Alienware, Legion, MSI, Omen, Predator, ROG and so on.
Aside from the 116 PCs, Pantheon also has an auditorium
for eSports, a VR experience zone, Racing Simulator Zones,
PlayStation 4 Zones, and six experience rooms that have different
gaming setups for users to try and experience before they
purchase. Now, you can test out the latest and best components
or products before you drop those hard-earned cash.
Franky How, the Managing Director of The Pantheon, said:
"We are proud to be the first Platinum NVIDIA-certified iCafe that
is eSports ready in Malaysia. With the launch of The Pantheon,
we hope to provide only top-of-the-line experience for gamers in
Malaysia with our cutting-edge equipment and yet still maintain
an affordable price, so that more gamers will be able to enjoy our
wide array of offerings.”
As for prices, it can range from RM 5 to RM 7 per hour on
the computers, and for the other zones, it can cost up to RM50,
especially for the VR Zones. The Pantheon has also setup different
membership programs, such as free access to the PS4 when
members purchase food and beverages above RM5. Similar to
other iCafes, students with school uniforms are strictly prohibited
from entering, and patrons under the age of 12 are only allowed in
the premise until 10pm and only with parental guidance.

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 lite & leisure

Yankees enters the League

You know that eSports is becoming a thing when big sports franchises want a piece of the action,
and this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this happening. One of the latest to enter the eSports world
is the New York Yankees and anyone who knows baseball would know of this name. The New York
Yankees has confirmed in an announcement that they have invested in Echo Fox’s parent company
and plans to bring their experience in marketing, sales and partnership to eSports.

Ninjas In Pyjamas /FF

NiP has had their problems, but it seems that they have finally decided to leave the
Summoner’s Rift. Their latest roster was unable to produce the results they hoped and came
in last place during the 2017 EU Summer Split. This could be one of the reasons that have led
to Ninjas in Pyjamas dropping their entire LoL roster. With them losing in the 2018 Spring
Promotion, maybe Ninjas In Pyjamas is ready to take a step back and get back to the drawing
board.

Cleveland Cavaliers join the Championship

Series
The Cleveland Cavaliers has been officially accepted to hold a
franchise in the NA League of Legends Championship Series
starting 2018. They have also taken the initiative to hire ex-COD
professional player Matthew Haag, also known as Nadeshot, to
oversee operation of the LoL team. With transfers coming up
soon, will we see strong players joining the Cavalier franchise?
We’ll be interested to see whether the Cavaliers has what it takes
to take it from the court to the rift.

Krepo drops casting for coaching

We’ve all seen Krepo casting before, and he always had good points to
share about games. Now Krepo will be taking his analytical skills to FC
Schalke 04, replacing Michael "Veteran” Archer as the Head Coach. Krepo
will be the one spearheading the 2018 season and will be in charge of
the roster and player care. But with them just barely making the cut for
the 2018 EU LCS Summer Split, Krepo will have to work overtime to get
Schalke 04 into shape.

chip malaysia november 17 105

 lite & leisure

TOUCH

Gaming Apps Of The Month

These are the apps that we have currently installed on our mobile devices. We think
they should be on yours too By Nixon Ng and Rikco Shim

Idle Poring
(Android, iOS –
FREE)

G
ravity Co, the company responsible for
Ragnarok Online, is bringing back
nostalgia in a big way. Idle Poring is an idle
game that does most of the work for you
without requiring much of your attention. It can
be played in small doses, or indefinitely if you’re
just a huge RO fan. It certainly takes you back to
the earlier days of coming back from school and
immediately firing up the computer to play RO.
The community is similar to the one that we
are used to, some toxic, mostly friendly and
chatty people can be found in the chat. Chatting
while idling is pretty easy to do. In the game, you
The battle screen, chat function, and a fight with
Bigfoot
start off as a Novice, and when you hit level 10,
you can job change to (currently) three different
classes: Swordsman, Archer or Mage. We hope
that Gravity will slowly introduce other jobs such
as Thief and Merchant.
Costumes that you can buy, enticing you with the
"Try It” button
The game will automatically play itself,
fighting mobs for you and all you need to do is
change equipment, increase stats, set skills,
equip pets and so on. You will meet mobs,
equipment and pets which you have seen in the
game, triggering all kinds of nostalgia. After you
have successfully defeated an enemy, they will
sometimes drop equipment for you, and this is
the grind that will take you to the next level,
fighting stronger bosses and MVPs in the world.
When you are confident enough, you can
challenge a map’s boss and it allows you to
advance. You start from Prontera and will slowly
venture off into other parts of the RO universe.
Pets in this game increase your stats and can
be sent out to run explorations, which will grant
you random drops that will help you in the game.
Of course, as per the norm for mobile games,
IAPs are present for you to purchase costumes
and more, such as Mr. Smile or Racoon Hat. And
like the actual game, only the rich will be able to
purchase these. So, if you want to look good in
your replays when you show it off to people in
the chat, you can do so. WoE and PVP are
present in the game, so the elements of
Multiplayer are there.
Overall the game is simple, and requires not
much attention from you. You can certainly feel
that you are making progress in the game by
being able to beat other players or stronger
MVPs. If you are a fan of Ragnarok Online, then
this is the game for you.

106 november 17 chip malaysia


Hitman Go
(Android –
RM 3.99, iOS
– RM 19.90)
H
itman Go is a puzzle/turn-
based strategy game that
takes place in the Hitman
universe. You play as Agent 47,
and you are tasked to kill targets
and grab objectives. The stinger
comes with how you perform the
tasks. You can either distract the
guard with rocks, or kill them all
to advance to your objectives.
There are several challenges
that will test your strategic skills.
Some of the challenges comes in
the form of having no guards killed, the amount
The challenges that are presented to you
The gameplay screen, with "spots” that you can move to
of steps that you can take, and so on. Luckily,
you can restart the level repeatedly without any
lite & leisure
drawbacks. Sometimes, the challenges also force
you to replay the level with contradicting
challenges such as a "No Kill” run and "Kill All
Enemies” run. You are also required to pass the
challenges as they unlock the next level. For
example, level 10 requires 10 challenges to be
completed, and can’t be unlocked until you have
10 cleared challenges under your belt from the
previous levels.
The game aesthetics are derived from table
top games, with characters and backgrounds
looking like plastic figures that you usually use
from such games. When you knock out a guard,
they are placed on the side of the table. Some of
the levels require strategic planning to pass
through but during the earlier levels, you’re
slowly introduced to more features that will help
you with your success.
Despite being a paid game, there still some
addition elements of IAPs in the game, which is
sad to see. But considering it's from Square Enix,
we kind of expected that to happen.
Overall, this is a game that requires some
thought behind your moves, but can be tackled
easily in short bursts, or within a single gaming
session if you wish. However, the latter is quite
difficult as some levels require plenty of trial and
error to see what works and what leads to your
removal from the board. If you’re not someone
who enjoys going through the same level again
and again, then this game might not be for you.
But it is a game that’s worth the price when it is
discounted. The game is also available on PC and
is titled as the "Definitive Edition” if you prefer to
play on a bigger screen.
chip malaysia november 17 107
 lite & leisure

CROWDFUNDING

Made Possible
By The Masses
Our monthly look at crowd-funded projects that caught our eyes
By Matthew Yap and Nixon Ng

Wiral LITE
Casual photography has taken a life of its own, with various products
designed to make taking photos easier. For example, there’s the Wiral
LITE - a camera accessory that can turn your camera into a cable cam.
Attach the two ends of the cables to trees at your favourite jungle trail
or the running track in a stadium, and suddenly you can capture some
footages that even drones might not be able to help with.
http://kck.st/2ywVsu7

I’m Back
Do you like vintage photos? They have a type of feel to it that digital
photos don’t seem to have these days. But now you might be able to
bring back those warm colours and soft shades with "I’m Back” – a
digital component that can be attached to analog cameras. When
attached so, it essentially replaces the role of a film roll, so that
captured images are now created on the camera module and then
saved into an SD card.
http://kck.st/2wumXAA

Rev-O-Mate
Designers who use the PC tend to have some great options in terms of
design aids. Support the Rev-O-Mate and such a tool could be yours.
This product is a no-click dial with 10 programmable buttons and it’s
designed for artist and creators that use programmes like Photoshop,
SAI or ClipStudio. It can be used to quickly do scaling, rotations, changing
brush sizes, and more.
http://kck.st/2xFWSQo

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 lite & leisure

OJO
OJO is a portable mini-projector, speaker, power bank and spare dock for
your Nintendo Switch. It’s capable of beaming a 30~120-inch display at
200 lumens of brightness. The powerbank holds up to 20,400mAh of
charge so you can charge your Switch anywhere and dock it into the OJO
to enjoy a large screen gaming experience. Not only that, the OJO comes
with a 5W speaker built into it, so you’re basically carrying around a
portable TV. It also uses the principle of "diffuse reflection”, which eases
the strain put on your eyes while playing games.
http://bit.ly/2yXAVPm
TEAMOSA
Master the art of tea making and give your tea the respect it deserves.
With TEAMOSA, you can customize the strength and flavour with every
brew, ensuring each and every cup is crafted to perfection. Freely choose
between our paper tea capsules, or your own favourite loose tea leaves.
TEAMOSA is the first tea brewing machine that combines the modern
science and the art of traditional tea making. The main health-
promoting substances in tea are polyphenols, or more commonly known
as, antioxidants. TEAMOSA have applied ultrasonic extraction to increase
antioxidants yield.
http://kck.st/2xkz9qI

Atom X1
The ATOM X1 is the world’s smallest 32-
bit Arduino and breadboard compatible
microcontroller, measuring in at 14.9 x
14.9mm and weighing 0.95g. It sports
256KB ROM, 32KB RAM, a 48MHz clock, an
Arduino zero bootloader, eight I/O pins,
eight PWM, six ADC, Serial and I2C, and
eight Digital. That’s a lot to fit on a small
package, and it’s all powered by a Micro
USB port (3.3v to 20v). Equivalent to the
size of a US Dime coin, you can practically
bring this anywhere.
http://bit.ly/2yanOv6

chip malaysia november 17 109

Back Issues
Missed a few month’s worth of CHIP? Or have a particular issue that you would
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 practice

Setting Up A
Personal Cloud
The NAS system of popular developers like ASUSTOR, QNAP and Synology can be readily
used as private Cloud storage. Here’s what you will need to configure for it to work
By Arthur Hoffmann

S
ervices like Dropbox, Google Drive, Apple iCloud or Microsoft
OneDrive offer free storage on the Internet. However, generally
the amount of free storage is only enough for smaller text or
image files. If you need more space for things like videos in HD
resolution or extensive music collections, you have to shell out more
money. Additionally, there are also security issues when it comes to
Cloud storage. There’s no telling where the servers are precisely
located, or who has access to them and how good is the data
protection.
But you can opt to set up your personal Cloud storage with a
compatible network hard disk. For example, ASUSTOR, QNAP and
Synology all offer you access as long as you have an internet
connection, almost unlimited storage space and the certainty that
the data will be in your four walls. And since you can expand the
storage space of your NAS as you want, your own Cloud also keeps
up with increasing demands. Here, it is not important whether you
have a device with one, two or even four hard disks.
For the latest devices, the NAS manufacturers rely strongly on
the integration of Cloud functions with appealing menus, simple
setup and helpful extras. These devices offer comfortable setup
assistants, data access via well-designed websites, and apps for
smartphones and tablets. In this article, you will learn how to
configure the Cloud service of the 4-Bay NAS ASUSTOR AS3204T.
Other than QNAP and Synology, ASUSTOR does not rely on
proprietary solutions but provides the proven Opensource software
ownCloud as an app. The clients for Android and iOS apps cost
money, but they are inexpensive at about RM4 (Android) and RM5.50
(iOS).
How to proceed
1 Open configuration interface
In your web browser, enter the IP address of your ASUSTOR NAS,

112 november 17 chip malaysia

 practice

1 4

2 5

3 6

type the username and password and click on the arrow button to server address, which you have to enter in the first step, is made up
log in to the configuration screen. Alternatively, you can open the of the IP address of your NAS and the suffix ‘‘owncloud9” – i.e
application ‘‘ASUSTOR Control Center” on your computer and click on ‘‘http://192.168.0.56/owncloud9”. Click on ‘‘Next”, type the login
your NAS. data you’ve configured in step 3 and proceed by clicking on ‘‘Next”.

2 Install ownCloud app 5 Select folders to be synchronised

Open ‘‘App Central”, select ‘‘Categories | Backup & Sync”, click on the
button ‘‘Install” under ‘‘ownCloud9” and confirm the following dialog
by clicking on ‘‘Install” to install the components of your NAS.
3 Set up Administrator account
Close the ‘‘App Central” and click on the desktop icon ‘‘ownCloud9” to
start the components that are running in the browser window.
Under ‘‘Create Administrator Account”, type a username and a
password and press the button ‘‘Finish Installation”.
4 Download and set up Desktop software
Click on ‘‘Desktop App” and select ‘‘Install Desktop Clients | Windows
7, 8.x and 10” to download the software. Next, install the software by
following the instructions on the screen and start the software. The
Go to the browser where the own Cloud configuration is still opened
(see step 3), on the left select ‘‘All Files”, first click on the Plus icon,
then on ‘‘Folder” and specify a name, for example, ‘‘ownCloud-Sync”.
In the software, activate the option ‘‘Select elements to be
synchronised” in ‘‘Server”, select the new folder and click on OK.
Thereafter, select the local folder and confirm with ‘‘Connect” and
select the user account.
6 Make further settings
The synchronising will start immediately and automatically in the
background. In the software, you will see the tasks completed by
ownCloud, under ‘‘Activity | Synchronisation log”. Under ‘‘General”,
you can determine whether the program starts up when Windows
boots up and whether it should display Desktop notifications.

chip malaysia november 17 113

 practice
Photographing
Buildings
Architecture photography uses motifs like skyscrapers or a baroque castle. Here’s how your
photos can achieve a grander effect than the buildings you try to depict
By Stefanie Biberger
W
ith the correct approach, you can convert your architecture
photos into small works of art. To get an optimal image effect,
you should first pay attention to the lighting conditions. The
buildings appear in a soft light in the morning and in the evening, the
decorations, mantels and windows appear like plastic. You can also get
beautiful shadow effects, depending on the position of the sun. Using the
following tips, you should be able to get some exciting shots.
How to proceed
1 Capture spectacular reflections
Fascinating reflections of the surroundings can be found on buildings
with huge glass facades. Looking up between skyscrapers to capture the
reflections of these buildings is worth it for enthusiasts. A beautiful effect
can also be seen when constructions like bridges, churches or castles
reflect in water.
2 Play with perspectives
New motifs can be created in modern architecture through change in
perspective, simply by lying flat or climbing a wall.
114 november 17 chip malaysia
Photos: iStockphoto/m1366 (Aufmacher), bushton3 (#1), Anthony Rosenberg (#2), Nikada (#3 o.), querbeet (#3 u.),
3 Use falling lines creatively
Falling lines - every architecture photographer knows them and tries to
either avoid them or use them creatively. These lines emerge when the
motif is not aligned to the sensor level when the camera tilts. On the
photo, it looks as if the vertical lines are heading towards a common point
somewhere behind when in reality they’re running in parallel. These
minor distortions can be rectified by editing, provided you have left
enough place around the motif. However, it is better to snap your photos
in a way that ensures all lines and edges are aligned in parallel to the
camera, as much as possible. Monuments, on the other hand, allow falling
lines to be used creatively. The character distortion gets a specific design
when the camera is inclined to 45 degrees.
Rudy Balasko (#4), catalby (#5), nesneJkraM (#7)
4 Plan image composition
For a lot of art nouveau facades, purist Bauhaus style or monument
barrock castles, a well-thought out picture composition brings out the
best of the architecture in photo. First, think whether you wish to capture
the building completely or in detail. In case of facades, you should align
yourself to the dividing elements like windows that already give the
viewing direction. Common photo rules, like the golden cut, will help in the
composition. For example, if the motif is a castle in front of a mountain
1 2

scenery, then you can shift the main motif to the left or right. Buildings in
front view can be ‘raised’ further up the picture, provided that the
foreground is suitable for it. For example, does a road lead to a building?
Then, use those lines to guide the view of the viewer to the main motif.
6
5 Move interesting details into focus
PoP ornaments, wall paintings or decorative figures adorn numerous
buildings. Detailed photos can add to the classic front views, so pay
attention to high depth of sharpness and select a low ISO setting while
taking photos. This ensures that fine elements can appear sharp
throughout.

6 Minimise annoying elements using filters

Longer exposure times can be implemented using a grey filter. For
example, people who run through the picture can be magically ‘‘erased”. A
pole filter helps in reducing annoying reflections on reflective surfaces.

7 Map the insides using HDF function

When it comes to taking photos inside a building, such as ballrooms or 7
staircases, lighting conditions can sometimes be a big challenge. You can
counter-balance the frequent high contrast in buildings with an exposure
latitude that you can then merge into an HDR image.
Extra tip: A stable tripod is a must when doing architecture photography.
It not only allows an exact direction, but also long exposure times in
interaction with the self-timer.

chip malaysia november 17 115

 tips & tricks
Tips
Tricks
NOVEMBER 2017
WINDOWS & OFFICE
01 Windows
Restoring missing systems files
using sfc
If Windows tells you that the file
"mfc110u.dll" is missing, then it is
probably a problem with the Registry or
a virus that is responsible for it. This
DLL deals with a system file, therefore
you should never download it from
unknown websites. Instead, open the
command prompt as Administrator.
To do this, type "Command Prompt" in
the search window, select the option
in the list of results and select the
context command "Run as Administrator"
by right-clicking on it. Next, type the
command "sfc/scannow" and press the
[Enter] key. Furthermore, the tool System
File Checker will start which checks all
01
Using sfc/scannow will look for missing DLL files
from your system
116 november 17 chip malaysia
02
You can initiate Windows Reset via ''Recovery” in your Windows
Settings
the protected system files and replaces
damaged files by an intermediate copy.
As soon as the program runs, the file
"mfc110u.dll" should be present on
your computer again. If the problems
persist, then search your computer for
viruses, for example, using the Kaspersky
Virus Removal Tool (on https://www.
kaspersky.com/). At the end of the
search process, repeat the action
described earlier, with the System File
Checker (sfc).
02 Windows 10
Reset the operating system to
factory settings
If you wish to reset Windows 10 to
factory settings, then the easiest way
is via the "Settings". If the installation
of Windows is on a separate partition,
which is the case on most computers.
Open the Start menu and then click on
03
You can sort your text in Word easily with ''Sort”
the gearwheel icon. You will now see
the "Recovery" option under the "Update
and Security" category. and the category
"More Recovery Options" at the bottom.
Here, click on the link "Learn how to
start fresh with a clean installation of
Windows". Furthermore, the "Windows
Defender" will open and will offer a clean
"Restart". This process takes at least 20
minutes.
There is another method to reset the
operating system to the factory settings.
Go to the "Recovery" in the "Settings" via
the "Update and Security" category and
press the button "Go" under "Reset this
PC". Here, you can decide whether you
want to keep or delete your personal
files and then reinstall Windows.
03 Word
Arrange rows in Word documents
The text editor Word has a practical and
relatively unknown feature, where with
few clicks, you can sort rows and select
between alphabetically or numerically. To
use the Sort tool, your document must
 tips & tricks

have several paragraphs. Select the temperature at night".

paragraphs that you wish to sort and The value selected in
click on the "Sort" icon under "Paragraph” each case appears on
menu located under the "Home” Tab. You the screen in real time.
can identify the icon with a downwards You can also define a
arrow and the letter A and Z. After schedule for activating
clicking on the icon, the "Sort Text" and deactivating the
window will open. Here, you can select night mode. If location
whether you wish to sort according services are activated
to "Text", "Number" or "Date". If your on your system, you
document includes titles or defined fields, can activate the night
then you can sort according to titles mode also after sunset
or fields instead of paragraphs. Finally, and deactivate it at the
determine whether you wish to proceed time of sunrise.
in an "Ascending" or "Descending" order
and confirm by clicking on the OK button.
05
05 Windows 10
Protect your
With Samsung Flow, you can now add an extra layer of protection using
your fingerprint to use your PC

04 Windows 10
Make night Windows sessions
more eye-catching
The night-mode of Windows 10 should
be soothing for your eyes at late hours.
The activation and deactivation of the
night mode can be done in the "Action-
Centre". You can open it by clicking on
04
Easily change the degree of colour temperature change of Windows’ Night prerequisite is the
Mode
computer
against can now download the app Samsung
unauthorised access via a Flow from the Google Play Store, or
fingerprint scanner via the Microsoft Store. Next, install
both applications and follow the setup
If you wish to protect your Windows assistant. You can then protect your
10 PC with the help of a fingerprint computer with the help of the fingerprint
scanner, then it must be equipped with scanner of your Samsung smartphone.
theTrusted Platform Module (TPM) i.e. a
special chip to identify
the computer. Under
certain conditions,
06 Word
Convert document into PDF format
you need to activate
the function in If you wish to send Word documents or
the BIOS as well. wish to publish them on the net, then
Some of Samsung's you should first convert them into PDF
smartphones, like format. This will reduce compatibility
Samsung Galaxy S8, problems for other users and will
have a fingerprint ensure that the document is virus-free.
scanner that can Word files can be saved very easily in
act as a sensor. The the PDF format. Open the "File" menu
smartphone must run and go to the command "Save as". In
at least under Android the next window, you can define the
6.0 Marshmallow. storage location, file name and file type.
Under Windows, the Select "PDF" under "File type" and then
press the button "Save". Word will now
Creators Update. You convert the document and store it at

the speech bubble on the right next

to the time. When you click the "Night
Mode" button, it gets activated and you
can deactivate it by clicking on it again. If
the button is not visible in the Action-
Centre, then go to the link "Expand" in
order to show all entries including the
night mode. To set it up, right-click on
the button and select the option "Go to
settings". In the following window, go to
the link "Night light settings". Now you
06
have the option to adjust the night mode
Simply save your documents as PDF to save yourself the hassle of having problems with sending/reading
via your settings using the slider "Colour Word documents on another PC

chip malaysia november 17 117

 tips & tricks
the selected location. Other tools such
as PDF-Xchange Lite from (https://
www.tracker-software.com/product/pdf-
xchange-lite) can also do the same thing,
but with more options.
07 Windows
Create signature in mail clients of
Windows
You can create, change and delete a
signature in the mail app of Windows
10. To do this, open the app and click on
the gearwheel icon for the "Settings" on
the bottom left. Here, go to the category
"Signature" and select an account.
Now, move the slider under "Use Email
signature" to the right to the position
"On" to activate the function. Next, type
your personal mail signature in the text
field under it. Windows will automatically
save it and attach it at the end of every
message.
07
Configure your signature on the Windows 10 Mail
app in Settings
08 Windows 10
Access UEFI or BIOS of the
computer
Incidentally, interventions in the UEFI
(Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)
or - in case of older devices - BIOS (Basic
Input/Output System) of the computer,
cannot be avoided. However, there are
various methods to gain access to the
firmware of the PC. To access the UEFI,
navigate to "Settings" in the Start menu
of Windows 10. You will then find the
118 november 17 chip malaysia
08
Accessing the UEFI screen via ''Recovery” in
Windows Setting
option "Recovery" under the category
"Update and Security". Here, press the
button "Restart now" under "Advanced
startup" and you will gain access to
09
Using "Legacy Tools” to add frames to your Word documents
the UEFI. Once you have started your
computer, do not enter your password in
the log-in screen but click on the Power
button on the bottom right. Thereafter,
when you click on the "Restart now"
option while keeping the [Shift] key
pressed, the UEFI will open directly.
If Windows 10 is running on an older
computer, then you will need access to
the BIOS. You just have a few seconds
to access the BIOS while starting the
computer, The BIOS opens only when
you press the correct key at the right
time. Which key that could be depends
entirely on the BIOS manufacturer. After
switching-on the PC, keep pressing the
[F1], [F2]. [F8]. [F10], [Del] or [Esc]. If
Windows starts instead of BIOS then
shut down the operating system and try
again.
09 Word
Add position frames to the text
documents
A position frame can be quickly and
easily inserted into the text editor Word.
On the right in the menu bar, type the
word "Form" on the text with "What do
you want to do? " in the field with the
bulb icon. A collapsible menu with the
option "Legacy Tools" will open. After
clicking on it, another menu opens on the
right. Under "Legacy Forms", press the
button bearing the name "Insert Frame"
(fourth icon from the left). Now drag the
position frame to the desired position in
your text document. If you wish to edit
frame simply right click on the border of
the frame, and click on "Format Frame”.
10 Windows 10
Create more storage space by
deleting the old OS
In the folder "Windows.old", Windows
saves the old operating system when
you are upgrading to Windows 10. In the
first four weeks after the upgrade, you
can free up a lot of space by deleting
this folder. However, downgrading to
the old Windows version is no longer
possible thereafter. Press the key
combination [Windows]+[I] to open the
"Settings" of Windows 10 and click on
the "System" button. In the left column,
open the category "Storage" and go to
"This PC (C:)" on the right side. Windows
will display a detailed list of the memory
usage on the following page. The folder
"Windows.old" is hidden under the point
"Temporary Files", which you have to click

10
If you are sure that you do not need the older
version of Windows, you can manually remove it
now. To delete the files, go to the option
"Previous version of Windows", and check
the option. You can then remove the files
by clicking "Remove files”. Should you
not find this option under the temporary
files, then the memory problem has
already been taken care of by itself.
Windows 10 will automatically delete the
folder "Windows.old" after 28 days.
11 Word
Use the Clipboard optimally
If you want to work more efficiently, use
the clipboard of Word properly. To access
the clipboard, go to the tab "Home" and
click on the arrow in the lower right
corner under the "Clipboard” menu. Word
will now show you the elements present
in the clipboard. Click on the option that
you wish to insert and select "Insert".
You can put all the temporarily stored
entries in the document via "Insert all"
and you have several options while
inserting them. For instance, you can
incorporate text without the original
formatting, merge the old formatting
with the latest one or keep the old
formatting. If you do not wish to insert
an element, then simply click "Delete"
from the drop-down menu when you
hover over the item. To insert an element
as fast as possible, click on it so that it
appears on the selected position. You can
also use the shortcut [Ctrl]+[V] to insert
it quickly. If you work regularly with the
11
Clicking the highlighted button will bring out the
Clipboard tab
clipboard then open the "Options" by
right-clicking on the Clipboard icon in
the taskbar and set a check mark for
12
Using weighted mean can help you accurately calculate the average numbers
"Show Office Clipboard Automatically".
In the options, you also have the choice
between different display options. Thus,
while copying, you can see how many
elements are already present in the
clipboard. Or you can exit Word to show
the clipboard when you press the key
combination [Ctrl]+[C] twice. By setting
a check mark for "Show Office Clipboard
icon on the Taskbar", you can show the
Clipboard on the task board.
tips & tricks
12 Excel
Use the weighted mean value to
achieve more accurate results
Excel can calculate a weighted mean
value without much effort. To do this,
you need the functions "Total Product"
and "Total". The mean value depends on
the allocated weight. This is important,
for instance, when you want to calculate
the average price of a product of which
you have sold different quantities at
different prices. In our example, you want
to calculate the average price of a pencil.
For the first order, ten pencils cost ten
cent each and for the second order,
15 pencils cost nine cent each. While
calculating a simple mean value, Excel
would not consider that a larger number
of pencils for nine cents went over the
counter. The result would be 9.5 cents.
On the contrary, you can calculate the
more accurately weighted mean value
which is 9.4 cents in this example, using
the formula "=TOTALPRODUCT(single
values;WeightShare)/
TOTAL(WeightShare)".
13 Windows 10
Change icons of programs or links
If you wish to change the Desktop
icons of Windows 10, you can actually
do so. To change a program or a link
for another icon, right-click on the icon
and open the "Properties" in the context
menu. In the following window, press
the button "Change Icon". A window
with the same name will open, then you
can search for a new icon from the list
and confirm your selection by clicking
chip malaysia november 17 119
 tips & tricks
13
You can change some icons on your computer under "Properties”
on the OK button. Windows will change
the icon after you have also closed the
"Properties" window via OK.
14 Word
Provide documents with individual
tabs
Price lists or bills can be designed
attractively with the help of individual
tabs, but the automatic tabulator gap
is 1.25 centimetres and is sometimes
not useful while formatting. To define
individual tabs, first search for the ruler
above the document. If it is not visible,
then activate it with the menu command
"View | Ruler". There is a small box
next to the ruler on the left. Determine
the desired tab by clicking on the box.
14
Navigate Microsoft Word with "Tabs" to ensure
readability
120 november 17 chip malaysia
You have a choice
between "Left",
"Centred", "Right",
"Decimal" and
"Vertical Line". Set
the cursor to the
position in the text
where you have
planned the tab.
Select an element
and place it on
the ruler using the
mouse. The cursor
will then jump 15
immediately to the Non-working apps can be often start by changing
desired tab. the compatibility setting under Windows 10
Word also gives
you the option to "Properties” by right-clicking on the file.
connect several Set the check mark for "Compatibility
texts in a row Mode” in the tab "Compatibility” and select
with points, dashes or a line, so that "Windows 7” from the list. If this attempt
the document is arranged clearly. To do also fails, then you should look for a
this, go to the "Paragraph” menu under version of Windows 10 on the website of
"Home” tab, and click on the button on the app developer. The last option to get
the bottom right of "Paragraph”. Here, the apps running is to setup and install
press the button "Tabs" on the bottom
left. You can further modify your settings
Windows 7 as a virtual operating system in
the VirtualBox (on CHIP DVD).
in the window with it name. All the tabs
of the page are entered in the list field
"Tab stop position". At this point, you HARDWARE
can precisely see at which positions you
have set the tabulators. You can change
16 Notebook
Revive the failed Touchpad
the placement in this window whenever
you want and also find the option field If the touchpad of your notebook
"Alignment" under it, with different tab stops working, it could be affected by
variants. If you do not like the type multiple problems. For example, most
selected earlier, then chose another one. laptops can lock the touchpad via a
Finally, you will still have the option to key combination, which you may have
set the "Filler". Select between points, triggered accidentally. To remove this
dashes and lines. Once you have done lock, search for an icon for the touchpad
the settings, press the "Set" button. The
set tabs can be then also dragged to
another position in the ruler.
Windows 10
15 Revive the non-working apps under
Windows 10
When you see the error message "This
app cannot be run on the PC” in Windows
10, the most probable reason is a
compatibility problem. In many cases, the
problem is solved by installing the apps
as Administrator so that they run under
Windows 10. For this, right-click on the file
and select the context command "Run as
Administrator”.
16
If this does not work, try it with the
Finding out what errors that your Mouse/Touchpad
compatibility mode where you open the is having under Settings
 tips & tricks
in the topmost row of the keyboard. This
icon may be crossed off. You will find
this icon mostly on the [F5] or [F6] key.
Once you have found the correct key,
press it along with the [Fn] key. You will
find the [Fn] key on the bottom left of
the keyboard.
If this action does not work, then
connect a mouse to the USB port and
open the category "Hardware and Sound"
in the Control Panel. On the top, you will
find the applet "Mouse" under "Devices
and Printers". Click on the link and the
"Properties" window will appear. Activate
the "Hardware” tab on the extreme right,
which has the name of the installed
track points and touchpad. Now set
a check mark for the option "Activate
Touchpad" in the "Touchpad" area and
confirm by clicking on OK.
If the touchpad still does not work,
then check the device's driver. Using
the shortcut [Windows]+[R], open the
"Run" window and go to the Device
Manager via the command "devmgmt.
msc". Here, go to the category "Mice
and other pointer devices", right-click
on the option for your touchpad and
17
These few steps are some protective measures that you should be taking with all phone batteries
select the context command "Update
driver software". If the touchpad still fails
to function, then select the "Uninstall"
option. After restarting your computer,
you can re-"Install" the touchpad driver
at it position. Next, you have to activate
the touchpad in the Control Panel under
certain conditions, as described in the
earlier paragraph.
122 november 17 chip malaysia
17 Smartphone
Prevent heat damage to the phone's
18 E-Book Reader
Bring the unruly Kindle to order via
battery restart
Overheated and even burning Even the world's leading E-Reader is not
smartphone batteries have made a lot immune to breakdowns. If your Amazon
of headlines in the past.
Namely, the Samsung Galaxy
Note 7. But this heat risk
can be minimised through
proper management. First,
you should avoid placing your
smartphone in direct sunlight
as doing so may heat up
your device up to 70 degrees.
Harmful power adapters can
also heat up the battery a
lot while charging. Therefore,
basically use only original
power adapters to charge your
battery. Cheap power adapters,
generally, contain low-quality
components that may damage
your hardware. Another
cause for a heated battery 18
is the heavy usage of the An easy restart could revive your problematic Kindle
processor over a long period.
Kindle encounters problems, then
generally a restart is the remedy. First,
give the standard solution a try. Keep
the Power button pressed for about six
seconds till the screen turns white. Next,
press the Power-On button again to
restart the Kindle. If this action does not
work, then you have to do a complete
restart. To do this, press the Power
button for minimum 40 seconds long
without break. The display will switch off
or flicker after about six to eight seconds.
Nevertheless, keep the Power-On button
pressed till 40 seconds are over. The
home screen will appear a few seconds
after you have finally released the Power
button, and the Kindle will start. If the
E-reader still does not work, then charge
it fully and repeat the steps mentioned.
Data will not be lost in any of these two
Therefore, remember to close apps in the restart methods.
background.
If you notice overheating of the
battery, then let it cool down slowly.
Never place your smartphone in the
19 Toner
Store cartridges for laser printer,
refrigerator or in the freezer but in a securely and sustainably
cupboard or under a shade. If necessary,
remove the cell phone cover (if possible) Toners for laser printers are anything
for the heat to dissipate. but cheap. Already, the price of a colour
cartridge is about RM200, so you should

19
Taking care of your printer toner could prolong its shelf life
take care in storing them correctly if
you have purchased toners in advance.
The optimal case is to keep the toners
in their original unopened packing. The
air humidity should neither be low nor
too high in the storage space and should
be between 30 and 80 percent. The
20
Testing the Amazon Echo on the website before purchasing
ideal value is between 40 to 50 percent.
Always store the toner in the installation
position i.e. horizontal and not upright.
The surrounding temperature should be
between 10 and 35 degrees Celsius. If
you cannot store the cartridges in their
original packing if there is a lack of
space, then the storage location should
be as dark as possible and protected
against direct sunlight. Apart from the
humidity and surrounding temperature,
good air circulation works positively on
the shelf life of the toner. Therefore, you
should ventilate the storage location
regularly. Finally, ensure that the
cartridges are not accessible to children,
so that harmful toner dust is not
accidentally released.
20 Loudspeaker
Test Amazon's voice assistant
Alexa, without Echo loudspeaker
The highlight of the
Amazon Echo Bluetooth
speaker is the voice
assistant Alexa. You can
also test Alexa before
purchasing Echo. In
order to test Alexa in the
browser, log in to your
Amazon account and
install a microphone. Next,
log in to the Alexa Skill
Testing Tool (echosim.
io/welcome) and you
can immediately start
communicating with Alexa.
Now you can give it a
try, before committing to
tips & tricks
purchasing an Echo.
Mainboard
21 Identify symptoms of a defective
mainboard
All components of the PC are connected
via the motherboard, which is the central
unit. If your computer malfunctions, then
the motherboard comes forth as the main
cause of the problem. However, before you
start thinking of replacing it, you should
confirm whether it is actually at fault.
Failure of the Power LED: A clear indication
for a defect is the failure of the Power
LED. If the small light does not glow after
starting the PC, then check whether the
cable is properly plugged in. For this, open
the PC and check whether the connector
with the name "POWER+” and “POWER-”
(often also stated as "PWR+” and "PWR-”
is plugged in or not. If yes, then the
motherboard or the power LED may be
defective.
No visual: If there’s no visual output,
it’s not necessarily a GPU problem, but
can sometimes be caused by defective
motherboards. In order to find out more
about this, connect the monitor to one of
the on-board graphics outputs. If there is
no visual output when the PC is switched
on and the Power LED does not glow, then
probably the mainboard is defective.
CPU remains cold: Another indication of a
defective motherboard could be the socket
for the processor. Let the PC run for a few
minutes without video signal and Power
LED. Subsequently, switch off the PC and
carefully touch the cooler’s fins. If they are
cold, then the motherboard is not actuating
the CPU.
21
There are various indications when the motherboard has definitely
gone kaput
chip malaysia november 17 123
 tips & tricks

Motherboard speaker is muted: Generally,
the motherboard speaker registers itself
with a few beeps when the PC starts. If
your PC does not beep even once then this
indicates a defective motherboard. If your
PC has not yet beeped, then you may have
turned off the notification in the BIOS.
In that case, a BIOS reset will reactivate
this function. If your motherboard is not
equipped with a speaker, you can purchase
or borrow one to test the motherboard.
If all these symptoms occur in your
computer, then there is high probability
that the motherboard is defective. When
selecting a new one, keep in mind that you
can reuse almost all your PC components,
so a complete overhaul might not be
necessary.
Samsung Smart-TV
22 Connect Bluetooth keyboard to
Samsung TV
place automatically when they switch on.
Thereafter place the keyboard in the direct
vicinity of the TV. Subsequently, go to the
menu option "Add Bluetooth keyboard”.
Your smart-TV will now look for a
Bluetooth keyboard in the vicinity. As soon
as your keyboard appears in the search
field (mostly under the name "Bluetooth
Keyboard”), press the confirmation button
on the TV remote control. Select the
language in the "Keyboard Settings” option,
or end the process via the "Close” button.
Once done, the Bluetooth keyboard is ready
for operation for your smart TV.
WEB, TOOLS & PHOTOS
23 Google Maps
Use the map service for
comfortable hotel search
Google Maps not only helps you in
planning your route, but also in searching
for suitable accommodation. To find a
hotel, you have to first enter the location
and then "Hotel" in the search field.
You can also limit the search further
by specifying the suburb or street.
Alternatively, scroll down to the brief
info about the location. At the end, you
will find the option "Display Hotel" in the
"Hotels" area. If you wish to get more
information about the respective hotel,
then click either on the map or on the
hotel in the list of hotels on the left of
the screen. Google Maps will now show
you an overview of the hotel details likes
whether the room is air conditioned,
has WiFi, or if pets are allowed. Use the
slider "Deals" to check which hotels offer
the cheapest price in the desired period.
24 Android
Protect sensitive files against
curious eyes
You can activate a private mode from
Android 6 (Marshmallow) onwards on
certain devices. Once activated, Android

22
You can operate your Samsung Smart TV much
more comfortably with a Bluetooth keyboard
23
Easily look for hotels around you. You can even look for hotels which have deals going on
You will have to refer to the operating
manual to know whether your smart TV
is Bluetooth-enabled. If your Samsung TV
has a WLAN on board then generally there
is a Bluetooth interface included in the TV.
You would need a Bluetooth keyboard with
the standard Bluetooth 3.0 to get a good
transfer rate.
In order to connect your keyboard, first
switch-on your Samsung TV and then open
the settings window via the "Menu” button
on the remote control. There, select the
tab "System” and navigate to the "Device
Manager”. Thereafter, go to the option
"Keyboard settings”. Now switch on the
Bluetooth keyboard and ensure that the
Bluetooth function is also switched on. 24
In most of the keyboards, this will take Protect private files on Android using Private Mode

124 november 17 chip malaysia

 tips & tricks

will be able to protect sensitive content

with the help of a password. You can
also access the private mode, which can
26 Android
Upgrade Recycle Bin for Android
27 Photography
Capture exciting photos with fixed
be found in the settings, then tap on cellphone focal length
"Personalisation | Private Mode". Next, a
notification from Android will ask you to Accidentally deleted files can be Lenses without zoom offer some
confirm the use of the mode. Once done, recovered sometimes, but and only with advantages. Since the lenses are a lot
you will have a choice between different easier to produce,
unlocking methods and the setup is lenses with fixed
then complete. If you want to move a focal length are
photo from the gallery into private mode relatively cheap
in future, tap on the three dots and to get. More plus
go to the command "Move to private". points are the sharp
However, for the latest Samsung device, and detailed photos
the Samsung Note8, it has been switched and the high light
to Secure Folder, which does the same intensity. Fixed focal
thing as Private Mode. lengths are available
in almost all focal
length, ranging from

25 Facebook
Deactivate account temporarily or
delete it completely
Creating a Facebook account is a quick
task. But on the contrary, it is as easy if
you want to quit using Mark Zuckerberg's
network. Apart from the final deletion
of the Facebook account, there is also
the possibility of inserting an unlimited
Facebook pause by deactivating the
account. To do this, log in, click on the
small arrow on the top right and open
the "Settings". In the category "General”
click on "Deactivate your account" at the
bottom. Now your profile will no longer
be visible on Facebook. However, it can
be reactivated whenever you wish.
Searching for an option to delete your
account in the "Settings" is futile. The
Facebook exit is possible only via the
link https://www.facebook.com/help/
delete_account. After you have opened
the link, click on "Delete my account” and
it is done.
26
Adding a Dumpster app on Android could save yourself from deleting
important files
the help of the tools like Recuva (on
https://www.piriform.com/recuva). This
is because unlike Windows, Android
lacks a Recycle Bin feature. The feature
works by having deleted files moved to
it first, where it can then be copied back
or restored at any times. However, the
Recycle Bin function can be obtained
in Android via the Dumpster app. After
downloading it from the Google Play
Store, install the app. With Dumpster,
you will be able to recover deleted
photos, music files, videos, documents
and other file types reliably.
ultra-wide angle
up to telephoto.
For this purpose,
a lens with 35 to
50 millimetres is
recommended at
the start. The focal
length of 50 mm
corresponds to the
natural viewing
radius of humans and thereby, gives a
very natural effect to photos. A regular
price-performance hit is the 50-mm
1.8 lens, which are a part of the Canon,
Nikon and Sony portfolio for around
RM500. While taking photos, you should
be moving a lot and trying out new
perspectives; photos will be more exciting
if you shoot them from varying positions.
You should try out unusual angles as
well. Here, you can also test the effects
of different f-stops on the photo.

27
Lens that come packaged with your original camera
25 can do the trick if you know how to navigate around
Release yourself from Facebook’s control by deactivating or deleting it it

chip malaysia november 17 125

 picture perfect

This is how
you swing 13/10/20
in Phigolf! 17
@ HKTDC 20
17
14/10/2017
A robot spotted in the wild during HKTDC Electronics
Fair 2017

14/10/2017 14/10/2017
Living in style @ HKTDC 2017
a shower @ HKTDC 2017
Literally taking your speakers in

14/10/2017

ker float! @ HKTDC 2017

What float can’t you drink? Spea
24/10/2017
Literally drink yourself with the help of Evebot @ HKTDC
2017

126 november 17 chip malaysia

 picture perfect

17/10/2017

ded with the Sony RX0

This guy is all set to have his dance recor No roaring monster wil
21/09/2017
l faze this hunter @ TGS
2017

2/10/2017

7
26/10/201 Huawei’s AI can now accurately detect a croissant
s
st -free secret
ojector’s du
into BenQ pr
Digging deep

One of the 21/09/2017

many impr
essive prop 14/10/2017
s at TGS 20
17
Acer is taking us for a swift spin with these girls
(notebooks)

chip malaysia november 17 127

in the next issue

DECEMBER

Silly-conmen Valley?
The brilliant minds in Silicon Valley have always seem to be the ones that will help lead the world. But it is looking increasingly like they’re
out of touch with the real world

Speeding Up Your
Wired Network
We’ve spent many articles talking about how to improve your
wireless network, so in this article we’ll tell you how to set up a
mostly wired one

Machines On The
Front Lines
There are voices who are starting to warn against the use of
machines in weapons, but is putting restrictions or stopping
the development of AI feasible? We explore this topic in this
article

128 november 17 chip malaysia